Raven Legacy: Coming of Age
by kataract52
Summary: Six years after the deaths of Rogue and Gambit, their children have adapted to a new life under Mystique's guardianship. But when Tess tries to leave the Hellfire Club, the new Inner Circle targets the X-Men's children. Threatened, challenged and conflicted, these adolescents must step out of the shadows of the past and stand on their own. Pre-GeNext.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the X-Men.

**Author's Note: **This story takes place between 'The End' and 'GeNext': an alternate universe published early 2000s. Events in 'The End' resulted in the deaths of most X-Men, and 'GeNext' shows the survivors struggling and the next generation trying to shed the burdens of the past. However, there's a time gap of about 10 years between tales and many unanswered questions. This fic attempts to solve those riddles.

…

**Raven Legacy: Coming of Age  
Chapter One**

Summer break meant cook-outs, beach days, and lazy afternoons in the sun. This year, Raven's family had decided to rent a house in the Hamptons. Her sister was coming to visit from New Orleans, and the Frost-Summers family would be downstairs. This would be the high-light of her summer.

Possibly her life.

At twelve years old, Raven hadn't yet learned to be graceful in her growing body, but she wasn't ashamed, either. She would pop into her green bikini and eat potato chips by the pool. When she reached the bottom of the bag, she'd tilt her head back with her mouth wide open and dump the crumbs all over her face. And if some man bothered her about it (usually her twin brother, Oli), she wouldn't hesitate to put him in his place with sass or a sucker punch.

Only Mystique, Raven's grandmother and guardian, seemed aware of the girl's suddenly visible breasts. Her thigh gap was shrinking. Soon, the boys would notice, too. Raven was interested in all things male except for men themselves. She collected bugs and built race cars, played video games and got into fights. She was, in short, the image of her darling, deceased mother.

Rogue was never far from their thoughts. Mystique saw pieces of her daughter in her grandchildren every day, and it amplified her love for them. Her heart was so full that it ached.

Raven had collected old posters and pictures of her late mother and built a mini-shrine. Mystique didn't mind the girl saying the odd prayer for her late mother – she was Catholic like her late father, and apparently Catholics did this – but recently Raven had expressed an interest in becoming a superhero, too. This was too much. That lifestyle had claimed the lives of _both_ her parents, and cowardly or not, Mystique would not let her grandchildren follow that path.

She hoped Scott would show Raven the flaws in her dream. If anyone regretted their superhero days, it was him.

The three of them – Mystique, Raven, and Oli – were applying sunscreen to each other's faces and backs when the mini-van arrived.

"They're here! They're here!" Raven shrieked and ran outside.

One by one, the mini-van emptied. First, Meg: the oldest and most charming child. She gave Raven a giant hug, and both of them yakked at once. Scott appeared and stretched, then opened the side door for the other children to exit. His wife, Emma, was already in her bathing suit, looking flawless as always. Plastic surgery helped, but she could sleep with the decisions she'd made, unlike her husband. Their middle child, Alexander, appeared next. He looked at the vacation house with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. When Raven tackled him, he burst into laughter. Alexander enthusiastically hugged Oli, who shrugged him off. He had not weathered the loss of his parents as well as Raven, and tended to be as pensive as she was animated. He did, however, offer Meg an awkward side-hug. Finally, a pair of six-year-old twin girls emerged like crickets in a frying pan. They _couldn't_ be still.

"Well, I guess we'd better hit the water," Scott said.

The little tribe ran off to the beach on the other side of the house, kicking up white sand in their trail.

…:::…

_New Orleans_

Securing the outside perimeters was easier than Nate expected. He led a team of four, including himself, which he relied on for everything. Team leader was a dusty role for him: something he'd never been comfortable with, even when he was active. He'd left murder and espionage behind for medical school, but when an old friend needed his special skills, Nate always obliged.

New Orleans was the stomping grounds for the Unified Guild: a new name for an ancient underground organization. Honor LeBeau and René Boudreaux were co-rulers and two of his oldest, dearest friends. Nate recalled them as he knew them - young and hungry, wielding power beyond their control. But he also knew they had infinite resources at their disposal. Their request provoked a protective urgency, and he accepted without question.

Knowing Honor, he should have known a _girl_ was involved…

He also should've known that Honor would flatter him and play to his kindness. "Team leader" was an exaggerated title; "communications operator" was more accurate. His telepathy provided a cheap and easy way to relay thoughts safely and quickly. He felt like a puppet, dancing to her tune, but he couldn't deduce her grand scheme.

Too late for regrets now.

The Hellfire Club, another underground organization, was hosting an international party in the French Quarter. The X-Men didn't seem interested. As far as they were concerned, their spy was in place. To them, Tess was a tool; no more precious than a pair of binoculars, and no more important than a tape recorder. But, according to Honor, she wanted out of the espionage game. She had a plan, a time line, and Tess wouldn't have lightly committed to something. If she meant to walk away, she _meant_ it.

Instead, she vanished… According to Honor.

Nate suspected his true role was to help Honor and René protect their turf. He also suspected that Tess was playing Honor for a fool. Again. Apparently, they were all puppets.

"_Interior's secure,"_ René's voice sounded in Nate's head. _"Got de camera's disabled, no back-up alarm."_

"_Any sign of Tess or Shaw?"_

"_Negative."_

Nate directed his thoughts through Uri's channel. _"How's the roof?"_

"_Clear,"_ answered Uri: the last piece of their team. Agile, strong, and as fiercely loyal as any of them, Uri contributed more muscle than brains. _"I've got a possible exit for Renegade through a chimney, but I'll never enter via that route. If 'On has to use the roof, she'll have to exit a window and scale the wall. Same problem for me. Sorry guys, looks like I'm comin' through the front door if I'm comin'. "_

"_Cannonball it, mon,"_ said René, _"Make a Uri-shaped hole t'rough de ceiling!"_

Everyone laughed like a symphony of bells and bass that reverberated through Nate's head in colors as well as sounds.

"_You got that?"_ He asked Honor.

She answered him affirmatively and mentally prepared herself before speaking to her infiltration team. Unlike Nate, she understood that the sound and tone of words carried more weight than the actual words. If things inside soured, she needed her team to remember Honor's intent and act on _that_ – and _not_ what Nate would be ordering them to do.

Subconsciously, her hands checked to make sure that her hair pins were still in place, the front of her corset was still clasped, her stockings didn't have any runs, and her breasts and ass were (barely) covered. Presentation was important, too. Honor knew she wasn't a modern beauty: she was too tall, too ample and too muscular. Her skin was too white and marred with too many scars. But she had a narrow waist and beautiful red-gold hair. Her eyes were crimson and ebony, which some people found exotic, but she wore a lacy eye mask to conceal them tonight. Luckily, all women look beautiful in silk and lace undergarments, so Honor wasn't self-conscious. She had the sexiest trait of all – confidence.

"Ladies, you look _fabulous_!" Honor told her infiltration team. "Enjoy yourselves, rob those old geysers blind, and pick up as much as you can. Who, when, where, why, and how – _that's_ what we're after."

The limousine came to a stop and Vaughn opened the door.

The group simultaneously backed away from the newcomer. Vaughn was tall and handsome but repulsive nonetheless. He was a procurer: the very worst the Guild had to offer. Not only had he failed to deliver _four_ working girls, as promised, but one of the three he brought was his poor little girlfriend, Isobel. However, he had succeeded in finding a limousine and fake documents, which was essential.

"We're _late_," Honor snapped.

He grinned. "Dis a party or a trial?"

"A client wants _results_, not _jokes_."

She took his arm and led her group to the front entrance. A large man wearing sunglasses took a badge from Vaughn and admitted the women inside.

The hotel was no doubt the height of modern fashion, but failed to appeal to Honor's more traditional tastes. Glass walls and tiny, metallic furniture invoked a completely different feeling than iron-wrought railings and alley-like rooms. These were not her people, either. Arrogance rolled off them in waves and filled their colonial suits until the brass buttons threatened to pop. With cool, cynical eyes, they examined the girls. Those who were intrigued signaled and fondled the product without ever meeting their eyes.

Honor was immensely relieved that no one made a scene – especially Isobel.

Nate quietly slipped back in her mind. _"Hotel-Victor-Nancy-Tango-Echo-Rodger."_

"_The tale-tell sign of a Summers… Can't follow his own rules. Or did you forget how to spell 'hunter'?"_

"_Keep it up and I'll make you dance."_

Since they were both looking through Honor's eyes, she slowly surveyed the lobby. Between her precognitive skills and his telepathic abilities, they were able to map out every spiked drink, dark corner and locked room… Except one. A heavy, navy blue door sat just left to the bar: inconspicuous and unguarded, but hidden all the same.

"_Someone's hiding something,"_ she thought.

"_Honor, I don't like this. Let me send in Renegade-"_

A man signaled her and introduced himself as Robert. He wasn't good-looking or clever or charming, and she had a difficult time pretending to enjoy his company. In the end, she managed by enjoying her own company, and he believed himself the cause of her delight. He had her kiss another working girl, Delilah, who'd been hired through a different venue. Kissing straight girls was almost unbearable, but Robert enjoyed himself so much that he invited a friend over.

Nate's voice returned: _"Renegade's attempt to infiltrate failed. At this point, we have to assume Tessa's turned. I'm getting the girls out."_

"_Not yet! I __**know**__ there's something here!"_

She threw an arm around each man's neck and they carried her out like a prize. She laughed recklessly, drunk from the lust and adoration. Upstairs, they knew they'd find a room, and once the door shut, she was able to lay them out quickly and silently. She adjusted her outfit and removed her heels before slipping into the shadowy hallway.

In the distance, a glass shattered and a man cried out in pain. Isobel shouted and bouncers descended on her like ants at a picnic.

A distraction caused by Nate? Or coincidence?

He was the best at controlling a situation; that's why he was always in charge.

Honor imagined Vaughn would swoop in and rescue his beloved, much like Honor was doing for Tess. But that was a silly fantasy.

Honor crept to the navy blue door, pulled a pick from her hair, and attempted to open the lock. The pick snapped in half.

"_This is your __**only**__ chance to retreat,"_ Nate warned. _"Tessa's laid a trap __**especially**__ for you, and you're walking into it blind."_

Desperate, Honor grabbed the knob and charged it. It shattered like a pipe bomb and she kicked open the door.

His telepathy slithered further into her mind, gathering the strings that controlled her voluntary functions. He was going to force her to leave against her will!

"_Sorry, Summers, but he who __**leads**__ from behind __**takes**__ it from behind."_

She crossed the threshold and immediately their link was severed. Cautiously, she proceeded. Nothing could have prepared her for what she found. Infinite darkness pierced by blinding light, flickering at first and finally stable. Her eyes adjusted to a tiny, empty room with concrete walls. The light came from the wall directly before her. At first, the light was pure, but slowly began to take form in blood and black. Honor was cloaked in red glow and shadows from her eyes to her clothing and skin. The room was engulfing her, pulling her into the light beyond the wall.

"Ahem."

Honor turned and saw the silhouette of a young boy.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"What _is_ it?"

"I call it 'The Wall'," he said and snapped his fingers. "And it's how the New Hellfire Club deals with _spies_."

As the first man menacingly entered, she slammed the door on him and left him stunned. The door bounced back open. A swift kick to his chest sent him fumbling into his companion, and Honor leapt on them like a drowning zebra climbing over a pair of leaping crocodiles in order to cross a river. She successfully escaped their merciless jaws. A wiser woman would've ran long and hard and been thankful, but Honor scooped up the boy and held him like a shield.

Outside of the room, her precognitive skills returned.

_The boy was Kade Kilgore, the new Black King, who seized his title from a mentally unstable Sebastian Shaw. Tess stayed behind when she should have fled, and Kade sacrificed her to his newly discovered Wall._

Nate realized her mind was back on the grid and telepathically said: _"Get out of there, 'On! Get out now! I'm not fuckin' around!"_

"_She's in there! I have to go back!"_

To Kade, she shouted, "Tell me how to get her back!"

"Who?!"

"_We'll find a way!" Nate roared, "But you have to get out! Now!"_

"Sage!"

"Shaw's sidekick? Why the hell would anyone want her?"

_Kilgore barely understood how the Wall worked, but he knew it was a weapon and that was reason enough to feed it. In exchange for sacrifices, the Wall spared Kilgore and returned the unwanted parts of its victims: their intellect. Tess's body was somewhere beyond while her mind was enslaved to the Hellfire Club. Her regenerative, telepathic, and cyberpathic mutations were now the exclusive property of Kade Kilgore: a murderous little psychopath bent on world domination._

"Give her back or I'll rip off your head!"

"_He doesn't know, 'On. He's in the business of killing people, not saving them…"_

The party-goers looked on, suspended either by Nate's telepathy or their own apathy. Since Kade couldn't overpower Honor alone, they were at an impasse.

"Release me!" Kade shouted, struggling.

The Wall had heard their exchange and began to reach beyond its limits. Kilgore's guards panicked and scrambled off, but Honor held her ground with her human shield. She didn't know if they would be killed or if they'd ever escape, but she knew that Tess was trapped inside – so that's where she was going. As the Wall engulfed Honor and Kade, they were burned and blinded by light. They emerged into a world of ultra-ray liquid. Sounds were seen and all time existed at once.

"Hope you're pleased," Kade said. "We'll be here _forever_."

Honor looked around, but there were no physical landmarks. Instead, she saw her team mates working on a rescue plan. She saw her girls emptying pockets. She saw Kade's spoken words and her own thoughts of Tess.

Suddenly, her girl appeared – petite, slender, and pale with tear-track scars and midnight hair. This wasn't the swirling, flickering images of thought, but a solid and moving thing. Tess was wearing her old X-Men uniform, which covered everything except one shoulder and arm.

"I knew you'd come," Tess said, "But I had _hoped_ you wouldn't."

"How about a little love for the lifesaver?" Honor offered her cheek, but didn't expect a kiss and didn't get one. "Alright, later then. How do we get out of here?"

"You're the psychic. I thought _you'd_ know."

"Tessa Jane, we've done it again!" Honor laughed heartily. She felt her ribs being squeezed, and was surprised to find Tess had embraced her.

"I thought you were another mirage! But the Wall's never called me by that name. It was my secret, the one thing I wouldn't let it have… 'On, I've been so alone! Shaw's dead. This place… is eating me alive. I promise you, if we escape, I'll – I'll-"

"Marry me and have my babies?"

"No more lies," said Tess. "No more secrets. If I get another chance, I want to spend it with you. You've always had my heart. You're the only one who makes me feel like I've _got_ a heart. I've been trapped long enough for the Wall to strip away almost everything, but I wouldn't let it take my love for you. I realize now that nothing means more-"

Honor silenced her with a kiss.

Nate had warned Honor that the whole scenario was a trap, carefully crafted by Tess or someone with her knowledge. Honor hadn't forgotten. If the Wall needed her submission before it could assimilate her, Tess was the perfect bait. But her gut said this wasn't a deception. Her instincts had always proved more reliable than her mind.

With opened hearts, their bodies fell away and their souls melted into one corporeal being.

'_Finally! You are __**mine**__!' _

"I'm sorry, 'On!" cried Tess, "I can't stop it!"

"Maybe _you_ can't, but _we_ can."

Wearing her lover's skin and tasting her mouth, Honor conjured her ability to transform matter into energy. Her father had been limited to transforming inorganic matter, but Honor didn't face such restrictions. She accelerated the degeneration process of her shared body with Tess, turning them into an unstable bomb.

"The Wall is a tear between dimensions," said Honor, "I don't know if it's sentient or not, but it isn't infinite. If we hit the tear with enough force, it'll destabilize. _This_ dimension may be destroyed, but our home world will be safe."

'_No living creature would self-destruct so needlessly. It contradicts the instinct to survive.'_

"That's the solution," Tess said. She gave Honor her strength. "Whatever happens, I'm with you."

"I'm not afraid."

Their flesh became feverish and then sizzled. The heat inside burned with consuming intensity, and pushing forward was like walking into a thousand suns. Finally, the body imploded and the insides turned out.

Honor felt like she was flying among the stars.

She _felt_. Which meant she lived.

The Wall had ejected her!

As her flesh became her flesh again, and her thoughts became invisible secrets, and sounds became merely sounds, she realized her friends were with her. René leaned in the closest, his dreadlocks forming a curtain around them. When he saw her eyes open, a smile appeared like a half-moon in the night sky. Uri took up most of her peripheral vision, but he couldn't help it. Standing six and a half feet tall, weighing in at 350 pounds of pure muscle, and wearing green skin, Uri tended to dominate room. Bringing up the rear was Nate Summers, their fearless cyborg leader, with his distinctive auburn hair crowned in white tuff, which waved like a flag as he rushed the Honor's side.

She felt a woman's hand on hers.

_Tess_ was with her.

…:::…

_The Hamptons_

"Bekka! Beeeeeekkkkkkaaaaa! Be-Be-_Bekka_!" Raven walked down the hallway, calling and looking under closed doors as if searching for a cat.

Finally, a half-asleep Emma appeared angrily at her bedroom door.

"What the hell are you doing?! Calling your own name up and down the house at…" She checked her phone, "_seven o'clock in the morning?!"_

"It's not my name anymore," Raven reminded her. "I changed it to 'Raven' after Mystique adopted me, so Oli and I could have the same name without giving up my dad's name, too."

"Right. Again, what are you doing?"

Raven didn't think Ms. Frost looked so beautiful in the morning.

"Looking for Bekka. Her daddy dropped her off last night while we were all sleeping, but now she's not in her bed."

"Who?"

"_Bekka!_ My sister's sister!"

Emma rubbed her temples and used her telepathy to read Raven's thoughts. She was looking for Honor's little half-sister, who'd grown a little wild since her mother passed away. Biologically orphaned, the girl had been adopted by her mother's husband, although he absolutely spoiled her. The Raven-LeBeau twins considered her family, and since they'd suffered so much loss, everyone supported this idea. Besides, she also happened to be Bishop's biological child, and they never knew when or where he'd return. Keeping her close to the X-Men was wise for all.

"You mean _Hero_?" Emma said.

"Her name's not 'Hero' anymore! It's _Bekka_! She said if _I _didn't want that name, she was gonna take it."

"And of course her father _let_ her," Emma muttered to herself. To Raven, she said: "Honey, she's either got her hearing aids off or she's hiding. Either way, you won't find her like this."

"Can you tell me where she is?"

"Only if you promise to be quiet."

Raven readily promised.

Emma did a quick telepathic sweep of the house. "She's sleeping under your bed."

Raven skipped back to her room and hopped on her bed. When she leaned over the side and looked underneath, Bekka stared back. A year younger than Raven, Bekka was an exotic beauty. Even Raven, image oblivious, envied Bekka's mocha skin, golden hair, and violet eyes.

"Hey there, weirdo! Whaddaya doin'?"

Bekka sighed and signaled for Raven to join her. Gathered together on the dusty floor, Bekka began her explanation very seriously. She'd always been a very serious person.

"You have to promise not to tell…"

The girls linked pinkies.

"I'm hiding from Megan."

"Why?"

"Because she's a telepath, and I know something she doesn't want me to know. If she finds out, she'll mind wipe me."

"Silly," Raven shook her head, "She isn't _powerful_ enough to mind wipe anyone. And anyways, her mom wouldn't let her. What doesn't she want you to know?"

"_Promise_ not to tell?"

Raven nodded and leaned in close enough to smell Bekka's breath.

"I saw her kissing Oli."

…

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the X-Men.

**Raven Legacy: Coming of Age  
Chapter Two**

_New Orleans_

"Here it is! The most beautiful house in N'awlins!" Honor announced.

Of course, Nate, Uri, and René were familiar with the LeBeau residence, but Tess hadn't seen it in years. Since her last visit, the original house had been burned nearly to the ground, re-built, and after Honor moved in, re-decorated.

"It's your home now," Honor proudly told Tess.

Nate looked nervously to her adopted brother, who was pale. They loved Tess and considered her a friend, but in truth, she was a bad friend. Her love for Honor never seemed greater than her love for power or success. If Tess was honest with Honor – and she would have to be if they moved in together – she might see Honor's love tested. Frankly, Nate was tired of his friend getting her heart broken by the same person.

Honor walked Tess through the living room, dining room, and kitchen, where the guys stayed behind to refresh themselves after the mission. The women continued upstairs to an office, two guest rooms, and finally, the master bedroom.

"The kids usually stay in the guest rooms when they visit," Honor explained, "But obviously we can re-arrange things if you… You know, want your own room…"

"This is very generous of you."

"Non-sense. Gets lonely in this big house…" Honor shrugged. "Everyone I know's married or has kids now. I don't get many visitors anymore. Just the kids on the holidays. Sometimes when Jean-Luc and Marge come into town, they'll stay. But that's it."

Honor meandered to her bed and sat, inviting Tess to sit beside her.

"I was supposed to leave for New York yesterday. It's part of my custody with the kids, and that's where we decided to spend this summer… They'd love to see you again. I'd love for you to come with me. But I don't want to push you into anything."

Tess took her hand and looked up with tears in her eyes.

"'On… I can't – I can't hear your thoughts."

"What do you mean?"

"The Wall… It took my powers…"

"It might not be permanent."

"There's more," Tess frowned. "You don't know what I've done…"

Without her telepathy, Tess had no way of knowing how much Honor already knew; no way to stop her from learning more; and ultimately, no way to "fix" things with a simple mind wipe. Her only power play left was to confess before Honor discovered things for herself. But a confession also left her vulnerable. If 'On put her out, Tess had literally nowhere else to turn. 'On might be livid enough to throw her back into the Wall, and no one would come to Tess's defense now. Once Tess started talking, there was a good chance 'On's precognition would activate, revealing more details than Tess could defend. Not being telepathic was a huge burden. Confessing was painful, but hurting 'On was worse. The thought of losing her again brought the usually stoic Tess to open tears.

"Hey," Honor stroked her back. "We don't have to do anything tonight. Tonight we're gonna order a pizza and have some beers and catch up with our friends. Then you're gonna get some _much_ deserved sleep. You're safe here. The Hellfire Club will never bother you again, I swear it."

Tess's face crumbled.

"You'll miss it, won't you?" Honor asked, "The penthouses and private jets."

"Don't use your powers when I can't use mine!"

"I'm not, baby, it's all over your face. It's okay, really. I understand. You've got nothing but the clothes on your back. We'll get you back on your feet. Don't let it overwhelm you tonight."

Tess delicately wiped her tears away. "If we're getting pizza, can we at least get vegetables?"

"Deal, but we're drinking _beer_, not _wine_."

"Foreign or domestic?"

"Jesus, woman, you're really wearing out your welcome."

A rare smile cracked Tess's moon-white face.

Downstairs, the guys had been huddled together and speaking in hushed tones. They stopped suddenly when Honor and Tess returned. There was an awkward silence.

"Okay, guys, get it out," said Honor.

They looked at each other, and finally René stepped forward.

"She's a liar and a traitor. Every chance she gets, she stabs you in de back. Sis – dere's things she's done that you might not forgive."

"Things I don't know about, but you do?" Honor's psychic skills revealed a series of mind-wipes conducted by Tess. "Oh, I see… She used her telepathy to manipulate my memories. Well, she's no longer telepathic. And whatever she gained from it, she's obviously lost. No point punishing her."

"You lost your powers?" Nate asked Tess.

She could only wonder if he was reading her mind.

"My parents never turned away anyone in need," Honor pointedly said. "Neither did Xavier. Nor will I."

They shuffled uneasily on their feet before conceding her point.

Once the beer bottles began to empty, the tension quickly faded. The conversation flowed as it always had when the five of them talked – one over another, someone finishing another's sentence, a disagreement, banter, a collective laugh.

Mostly, Honor and René discussed their family. The twins were adjusting well to their parents' loss and Mystique's guardianship. Becca, who went by 'Raven' now, was doing better than Oli. Hero, who ironically went by 'Bekka' now, was almost feral. René and his wife, Marie, were considering taking over her guardianship, but wanted to avoid another upheaval. They thought the LeBeau twins and Frost-Summers children were a positive influence.

At this point, Nate proudly updated everyone on his younger siblings. Meg was being moved up a grade in school. Alexander was getting his black belt. Lauren and Mallory were learning to ride bikes without training wheels. Living with Emma had been a major adjustment for Nate, but he was grateful for her. She'd opened her home to him after his mother merged with the Phoenix and soared into eternity, and the stability had encouraged him to return to medical school and finish his residency.

"And before you ask," Nate added, "I'm not seeing anyone, but I don't wanna meet your friend… or sister… or granddaughter… And I don't care how great she is."

"I'm seeing someone!" Uri proclaimed.

After a string of heartbreaks, Uri had sworn off men forever. He became passionate about fitness and focused on finishing his degree in political science. It was during a summer internship for a political campaign that he'd met fellow intern, Marcus, who evidently had "the dreamiest eyes". They'd denied their feelings for months over poll reports and late-night cold calling sessions. But when their candidate scored a major victory, they'd gotten too emotional and kissed, admittedly stealing their boss's limelight.

When someone left for a beer or a piss, the conversation turned quietly on them.

"How long has René been married now? So why no kids?"

"Who burned Nate?"

"What's he gonna do with a degree in _political science_? Run for office? _Seriously?_"

Eventually, Honor needed a bathroom break, and Tess was left alone with the guys. They stared her down, and she coolly returned the look.

"I will tell her. I already tried." Tess said.

"Those kids were never recovered," said Nate. "God only knows what kind of life they've had. No one even _remembers_ them."

"She might not want you 'round after dis," René added.

"I know," Tess looked him square in the eye.

"If that happens," Uri said, taking her hand, "You're welcome to stay with me… All the trouble started after 'On cheated on you with Ethan. Everyone _else_ may have forgotten, but I haven't. I know how something like that can shake you, make you do things you'll later regret."

Tears filled her eyes.

Honor returned and Tess never got a chance to thank him.

After a sleepless night, there was pandemonium regarding logistics. Nate, Honor, René and his wife Marie needed to get to New York to spend the summer with their families. The original plan involved Nate piloting a small private plane, which had gotten Uri and him to New Orleans so quickly. He planned to fly back with the LeBeau/Boudreauxs and Uri, returning Uri to New Jersey along the way. But this option already pushed the capacity to its limit. There was absolutely no room for Tess, let alone her luggage. (Marie lent a few outfits since she was closer to Tess's size than Honor.)

New plan: Nate would fly up with Honor, her brother and sister-in-law. Uri and Tess would take the train to New Jersey, and Tess would bus from there.

Riding alone on public transportation in someone else's clothes was a sobering reality for Tess. How quickly she'd forgotten that young girl she used to be: the refugee camps, the hunger, the gunshots and cold dread of rocket whistles. Fine clothes and food had given her a false sense of security, but she was as strong as ever. This, too, would pass.

Honor was worried, of course, and reluctant to part so soon, but Tess knew she was more anxious to be with her little siblings. Telepathy not required. This was precious time she was losing to accommodate Tess, when Tess was already in her debt.

"I'll be two days behind you," Tess reassured her. "As long as I can control Uri's impulse for adventure…"

"Best barbeque in the South!" Uri cheered, "We can't _not_ stop!"

"Uriah! How long have we known each other? When have you ever seen me ingest that unclean animal?"

"Eating pork's the _least_ of your sins, baby girl."

Tess and Uri waved farewell to the four flyers and tossed their small bags into the rental car's trunk.

"It's a sin for you, too," Tess said. "Or did you convert?"

Uri shrugged carelessly. "I still go to temple with my mom, but… Really, Tess? According to them, we aren't supposed to love who we love. We shouldn't be able to _do_ things we do. You discard that, but uphold the no-pig thing?"

They fastened their seat belts, their knuckles briefly brushing.

"I can't change what I am," Tess said, "But I can control what I do."

"Well, if you're not a mutant any more then you're closer to heaven than I am. Give up 'On and you'll be right in." He paused, "_Are_ you going to give her up?"

She turned to look out the window and answered honestly: "That might not be my choice."

…:::…

_The Hamptons_

The roar of the crowd announced a new arrival. Raven started it – a high-pitched squeal that sparked off Meg, Lauren, Mallory, and Bekka. The adults echoed a deeper, no less jolly, uproar. Finally, she spoke.

Oli didn't need to look or listen. He knew Honor had finally come.

Always late. Always to great fanfare. Never alone.

He set down his novel and crept to the window. Norman Rockwell couldn't have created a more politically correct heartwarming façade. Young and old, friends and family, black, white, biracial and handicapped – all converging on sentiment. Oli didn't hate them. He just didn't "fit in".

As the group shifted focus, Honor looked up and winked at Oli, and he smiled back. No one saw them. He heard his name mentioned in confusion and quietly returned to his book.

Before the bags were even unpacked, Honor's first concern was her little sister on her mother's side.

"Hero, I've heard some upsetting things… Do you not like your new teacher? Hero-"

"My name's Bekka now!"

"You can't just change your name. Your _mother_ picked that name."

"_**My momma's dead**_!" Bekka screamed hysterically. She began throwing things, breaking things.

Oli moved unseen to Meg's room. All of the younger girls had been assigned the same room, but Bekka was providing a distraction too good to miss. He knew this was his chance to see Meg alone.

"Oh! Olivier!" she blushed furiously. "You're not supposed to be here without an adult."

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

"I won't kiss you again if you don't want me to."

"My mom says I shouldn't kiss a boy until I'm sixteen. I don't want to get into trouble."

"Okay," he said, "I'm sorry. Are we still friends?"

"Friends who _don't_ kiss."

"Meg… Can we talk?" He lowered his voice and sat beside her on the floor. "How much do you remember about… the day my parents died?"

"Oli… I think you should talk to Mystique."

"I'm asking _you_. Raven doesn't remember anything, but you were there, too. Do you remember my dad sending us through a portal? Do you remember him hanging out with Mr. Sinister?"

"What's this?" Emma interrupted them. "You kids know the rules."

"The door was open," Meg said defensively. "Mom, Oli's confused about what happened to his parents. He remembers things-"

"No, I don't."

He walked out, but Emma's rebuke called him back.

"Where do you think you'll get answers?"

He stared her down defiantly.

Emma had been a teacher for many years – she knew that look. Distrust. Frustration. Desperation.

"You won't find clues in any _books_," she said. "And most of the people who were there didn't survive. I had a telepathic link with your mother almost until the minute she died. No one else can say that. So ask me what you wanna know, and then decide what to do with it. Don't write me off without even asking."

He considered lying, but said nothing. He simply went back to his room.

Emma had been a friend to both his parents. She wouldn't say anything bad about them, and that included the truth.

Oli really didn't want to hear anymore lies, not even well-intentioned ones, and he couldn't forgive Meg for being so stupid. What was she thinking? Asking an _adult_ for help!

Meanwhile, Bekka's outburst was gaining momentum. Oli knew everyone in the house was probably standing around watching her temper tantrum, and although she was drawing attention to herself, what she _needed_ was time and space alone. And why did Honor keep calling her 'Hero'? Was a name change too much to ask? Oli wished he could make them understand.

Suddenly, everyone was talking at once. Their voices grew louder and louder, and somehow Honor was saying many things at the same time. Emma wasn't even contributing to the conversation; she was talking to Rogue, as if she were still alive. Nate asked Meg to get Lauren and Mallory into their room, but they wouldn't stop _chattering_! They weren't saying _anything_ important, just talking _endlessly_ about their _hair_ and _clothes_ and Bekka's insane _outburst_.

Oli put his hands over his ears but the racket continued unabated.

"**Everyone!"** Emma shouted and her voice drowned out everyone else like waterfall. **"Stop thinking!"**

Blessed silence.

"It's Olivier," Emma said.

Honor carefully opened his door and slowly entered. Her eyes glanced at him twice.

"What is it?" he asked.

Looking down, he saw that his body was still normal. Was there something on his face?

His sister grabbed his hand and led him into the bathroom. Bracing his shoulders, she turned him to face the mirror.

His eyes weren't brown anymore. They were red-on-black – just like Honor's. Just like their father's. Also, his hair had changed. His bangs had gone snowy white, which he could live with, but the white only highlighted his new and strange eyes. It was jarring. He didn't know how to feel. Suddenly, there was a new face in the mirror that belonged to him and he didn't know where the familiar he had gone. He didn't know how to retrieve the old Oli.

"Congratulations, honey," said Honor, "You're a mutant."

"Oh. Okay."

Numbly, he walked back to his room. He passed Emma in the hallway.

"We'll work on some mental exercises today. Telepaths need control."

"Oh. Okay."

He closed his door and sat alone in his room. He felt _robbed_. It was true that everyone he knew was a mutant, everyone in his family was a mutant, so he'd expected to transform at some point. But his parents had been born with their traits – his father with demonic eyes, and his mother with colorless hair at her temples. When Oli looked in the mirror and saw a normal boy, he expected to always look normal. And why telepathy? It was the lamest of all super powers! Why couldn't he have super strength or fly? People were boring and their thoughts were useless.

This _sucked_.

At first, no one knew how to react. But the energy quickly picked up as everyone was genuinely excited. And at first, Oli was annoyed by their excitement, but he slowly came around.

Raven was super jealous. This was the first thing that had ever happened to one of them and not the other. Raven had always been the cleverest, the most charming, the most athletic, the most beautiful… She bested him in every way. But he had finally achieved something she _hadn't_.

Meg was super happy to have a telepath for a friend. They had something else in common now, which meant they had things to talk about. Which meant he'd get to spend more time with her.

Maybe this didn't suck after all.

…

To Be Continued…


	3. Chapter 3

**Raven Legacy: Coming of Age  
Chapter Three**

"You guys up for tug-of-war?" asked Honor, poking her head into the boys' room.

Oli, Nate, and Alexander looked at each other with grins and nodded.

"Good. Everybody outside in ten."

Initially, the teams were Summers versus LeBeau/Raven/Boudreaux, but the Summers team had any extra man. The men seemed to view this as an unfair advantage, so Nate and Honor swapped sides.

She capped off a line of young Frost-Summers children behind their parents. Two lines were marked in the sand and the thick rope was marked in the middle with a bright red handkerchief. On the other side, René and Marie headed a line of LeBeau/Boudreaux children, bookmarked by Mystique.

Immediately after the game started, it became clear that Honor wasn't pulling her weight.

"Honor!" Scott roared, "Stop cheating!"

"I'm not! They're just _really_ strong!"

The Summers' lost ground and nearly lost the game.

"Pull together, kids!" Emma called over her shoulder, and her team recovered.

Meg noticed Mystique's biceps had increased and said: "Mystique's shape-shifting! They're cheating!"

"We knew they were scoundrels!" said Scott, "C'mon, guys, we _can't_ lose!"

"_Scoundrels! Scallywags!"_ yelled Marie, "We can't lose to this _pansy-ass_ pirate who doesn't even have de _balls_ to call us lyin' _sons of mothers!"_

The kids doubled over with laughter, loosening the rope. Between Honor's laxity and Mystique's superhuman strength, the rope quickly slid over to the LeBeau side, and they high-fived their victory.

"You guys up for some V-ball?" asked Honor.

"Eat rocks," Scott huffed.

Instead, they took a lunch break and spent the afternoon at the beach. Honor tried to teach the kids how to surf, but she wasn't a good teacher so it never caught on. By the time Emma called them in for the day, everyone was pleasantly exhausted. They anticipated a dinner of Nate's famous grilled hotdogs-and-hamburgers, but the adults had other ideas.

"We need to have a family meeting," Mystique informed them.

Honor said: "Let's talk on the deck while the Summers' wash up. We can't all pile into the bathrooms at once, anyway."

Oli, Raven, and Bekka hung their heads low. 'Family meeting' was code for 'you're in big trouble'.

Marie and René came, too, which gave the twins hope that _they_ weren't in trouble – just Bekka.

"First," said Honor, "I wanted to let ya'll know that Tess'll be joining us tomorrow. I don't know how long she'll stay… I _hope_ for good, but I don't know. She was forced into another dimension, where she lost her powers. It's been a lot for her to cope with, so… _Just be nice_."

"Are you guys back together?" asked Raven.

"Right now I'm helping her because she's a friend. That's all. René?"

"Right. Well," he cleared his throat, "We've discussed this with Pransu, and we've all agreed that Her- Bekka would be better in New Orleans. So at the end of the summer, Bekka, you're going to move in with Marie and me."

Bekka dropped her chin and sat very quietly. When the tears appeared, no one noticed at first, because she never sniffled and sighed. But they coursed down her face like rain. Her lap got wet, but she never wiped away her tears.

Her brother and sister each put an arm around her and encouraged her to speak, but she never did. What was the point? If the adults had decided, there was nothing further to discuss.

"Baby, I don't know what de answer is," admitted René. "Can you tell me what you need? I'll make it happen."

"Momma."

They were all suddenly, painfully aware of the hole that had been left in the universe. Since that dreadful day, they'd all been free-falling. Their entire pretense of control was an illusion. The sun had been snatched from their universe, and they were being flung without an anchor. Only Bekka embraced this groundless new world. Only she refused to stop looking into the black hole which was engulfing her.

"Momma doesn't live in her body anymore," said Honor, stroking Bekka's hair. "She's in your blood. And mine. She's in René's memories. That's where she'll live until we see her again. I know it hurts, but she isn't gone. Not really. There's just _less_ of her."

Bekka had stopped crying.

Oli and Raven had been holding their breaths to better hear. Sometimes when Honor spoke, the world took a hazy view. She had the power to create a dream-like world without a past or future. Adults called it hypnosis, but the children believed her words had real power. If she said their parents lived on, it was so.

"There's another reason we wanted to talk," Mystique said. "We wanted to tell you what happened the day Gambit and Rogue died. But we need the Summers' for that, so I'll get them."

Honor and René dried Bekka's pretty face and sat up straight.

Oli and Raven looked at each other.

_Finally!_ Oli thought. _Finally some answers!_

Alexander was the first to appear. His hair was still dripping wet. Nate stepped outside next, and used his damp hand towel to dry his little brother's hair. A minute later, Scott and Meg joined them. Several minutes later, Emma finally appeared in perfectly placed make-up and jewelry, saying she'd set the twins in front of the television for a few minutes.

"This involves them too," Scott objected, but she stood her ground.

"They're too young, Scott. They'll only be a distraction."

Once everyone had settled, there was an awkward silence. It was obvious the adults didn't want to speak.

"This has never been _discussed_," Mystique finally told the children. "_Not_ because we conspired to keep you in the dark, but because it's too painful. I was a _terrible_ mother to Anna. I pushed her too hard when I should have _protected_ her. I never wanted to repeat that mistake with _you_."

"I-" Oli started to speak and realized his mouth had gone dry. He swallowed and started again. "I just wanna know what happened."

"The X-Men made a _lot_ of enemies," said Scott. "We never could eliminate the threats completely, but as long as they attacked individually, we could hold our own. I suppose it was only a matter of time before they learned to work together. Gambit was smarter than most. He must've known something was coming. That's why he… did what he did."

"Why didn't he tell you?" Raven asked. "You were his friend."

"I don't know how much he knew, but knowing Gambit, he was either involved or had a personal steak. But I don't believe he knew about plans to massacre the school. His only concern was you kids. And for the record, I wasn't always your father's friend."

"Why not?" asked Oli.

Scott was clearly at a loss for words, so Honor answered.

"Remember my ex-boyfriend _Vaughn_? Papa was a lot like him when he was my age… He lied and he used people. But just like Vaughn, Papa could be very _sneaky_ about it. Sometimes you didn't even know he was doing it. But he wasn't all bad. He loved you kids to death. It took a lot of time for him to change, and it took _you guys_ coming along, too. Whatever else he might have been, he was a _wonderful_ father."

"Well put," Nate said, patting Honor's knee.

"Thanks… But this wasn't all on Papa. He didn't trust Mr. Summers, just like Mr. Summers didn't trust him. Truthfully, our families fight more often than not. At least, we used to."

"That doesn't explain why he kidnapped us," Oli said. "I'm _right_, aren't I? Everyone's trying to defend him because he's _dead_ and that makes him a _hero_. He _wasn't_. He handed us over to the bad guys and _broke_ my mom's heart! He _lied_ to _everyone_! Did you ever think maybe he was _working_ for the bad guys?"

"_No_," Scott said firmly. "He was selfish but he never _betrayed_ us."

"How else can you explain it? Honor, you're _psychic_. What happened?"

"Sinister could've killed us a hundred different times, but he never did. In fact, he saved Papa's life. _A lot_. He even saved your mother's life. When ya'll were being threatened… I guess that's where he felt safest."

"You _guess_?" Oli said, "That's not good enough!"

Raven started crying, so Honor put her arms around her.

Everyone shot Oli nasty looks, but he wasn't remorseful.

"It was the day we buried Momma," Bekka said quietly. "I saw Rogue kill Gambit. She snapped his neck."

"That was shape-shifter, baby," explained René. "Not the real deal."

"He used the funeral as a smoke screen," Emma said, "Snatched you kids while we were distracted."

Scott added: "Then the school was attacked. I didn't have a team to spare to send after you guys. Everyone - _nearly_ everyone - _died_ trying to save the students. Anna went alone. Emma had been hurt, so Anna borrowed her telepathy and they were in touch almost until the end. Emma?"

Emma sighed and rubbed away the stress lines between her icy blue eyes.

"You won't want to hear this, so I'll say it as kindly as I can," Emma spoke with confidence. "While searching for Sinister, Anna and I discovered the key to his longevity. He would create clones of himself and then transfer his psyche, but occasionally, there was an accident… A clone would escape or – in your _father's_ case – get stolen."

Silence buffered her words.

"You mean Papa-?" Raven asked.

"Was Sinister's clone. Correct." She paused again. "Your father was stolen by the Thieves Guild, who adopted him. Apparently, Gambit time-traveled as an adult to a time when his adopted father was young and saved his life. When his father grew up, he saved Gambit. It's a paradox. One of the many dangers of time travel…

"_Risks_ never bothered Gambit, but they _should_ have. Somehow, Sinister stole Gambit's ability to time travel, and managed to manipulate Scott's DNA before his birth."

"What does that mean?" asked Oli.

"It means," Scott answered, "That genetically speaking, your father and I were brothers. _Half_-brothers, anyway."

"Soo…" Oli looked at Meg. "We're cousins?"

Mystique spoke: "This is a lot to process, but I think we're getting _off-track_. After Gambit brought you to Sinister, something traumatic happened. Maybe Sinister revealed all this. Maybe he planned to double-cross Sinister all along. Maybe he just had a change of heart. We don't know _why_, but Gambit reversed course and tried to get you home. Sinister was _livid_.

"I was disguised as the Dark Beast at the time, working for Sinister. He told me – thinking I was a mad scientist – that I had free license to you children. It would've been a fate _worse_ than death. He knew just how to make your father suffer… He shape shifted into Gambit and then went after _my daughter_. We were too late to save her."

"She didn't suffer long," Honor told the kids, who were crying. "She got to say good-bye to Papa, and she asked him to take good care of you guys."

"But he didn't!" Oli said angrily.

Scott replied: "We _knew_ who attacked the school and planned to counter attack. Charles Xavier, my mentor, pleaded _diplomacy_. I didn't listen… Xavier believed Sinister was working with others to _frame_ an innocent party, and he asked your father to infiltrate Sinister's network. He _succeeded_, but in doing so, revealed his true identity. Gambit stopped the conspirators at the cost of his own life."

"He didn't _want_ to come home," Oli said. "After Momma died, he just _gave up!"_

Now _all_ his sisters were crying.

Oli was beyond exasperated; he wanted them to get _angry_.

"If you're going to be mad," Nate told him, "at least be mad at the right person. Your dad wasn't a _quitter_. He made a mistake, but we _all_ screwed up that day. _Big time._ His mistake cost him more than most, but that doesn't make him a _villain_."

Emma stood up. "I think that's enough for tonight. Let's get something to eat."

The group slowly dispersed, but Honor stayed behind and watched the sunset.

Nate knew that look. He knew that _slouch_. She was upset. When she got upset, she tended to do reckless things, even self-destructive things. He couldn't let her out of his sight until she was feeling better. Starting a fight was the quickest way to resolve her internal anger, so he tried that route first.

"You agree with Oli, don't you?" he asked.

Her eyes turned all her misery on him.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I shouldn't-"

"I had a vision," she said.

"Oh. Would you like to talk about it?"

"I remember that day so _vividly_."

"Me too."

"But I don't _know_ that much about it, honestly… I never stopped to _think_ it over. There was so much to _do_. The kiddies _needed_ so much, and I've _never_ been able to replace their _parents_-"

"Stop it," he said gently, "You're getting upset over something you can't change."

"I'm trying to tell you that I never bothered to _question_ certain things, like _why_ we never found my father's body. I thought he'd been blown to smithereens or sucked into the vacuum of space, and I didn't want to _see_ that…"

Nate felt his heart drop. "So what happened to him?

"He didn't die."

…:::…

_New Jersey_

Uri and Tess had such a pleasant road trip that they were reluctant to part. Well, he was sad to see her board the bus for New York. She seemed excited to reunite with Honor. He hoped that Tess and Honor could maintain a friendship after their confessional. They'd been breaking up for ten years now. At least it felt that way.

Things had been so simple before they'd fallen in love. They were the three amigos – Honor, Uri, and Tess. Then his two best friends fell in love with each other, and shared a bond without him. Eventually, Nate joined their little circle, and then Ethan, and finally, René found them. Politics were inevitable. Honor and Tess would fight, and the guys took sides. René was Uri's best friend unless he was mad at his adopted family, when he had a tendency to run away. Ethan and Nate never got along. Tess and Honor never got over each other.

Uri, the least passionate of the group, let them carry on their soap operas with dramatic flair. Meanwhile, he secretly nursed a crush on his best friend. He had even loved René for a time. But besides being straight, René had also been in love with Marie since they'd met. Uri might have come to his senses sooner, if he'd had someone to share his burden.

"I'm sorry I haven't been more involved with your personal life," Tess told him.

"You're back," he said. "That's what counts. Remember all the holidays you spent at my house?... My parents would love to see you again… If things get too… _intense_."

She nodded, but said nothing more as she got on the bus.

They waved good-bye through the window, and Uri waited for the bus to leave before he left the station.

Tess sighed, relieved to be so near Honor again. Two hours and they'd be together again. Two hours until Tess had to admit everything she'd done, but she had prepared herself for the possible outcomes.

She felt eyes watching her.

Tess looked over her left shoulder and saw a man staring at her. Their eyes locked. After a moment, he slowly looked down at the tablet in his hand. She looked out the window, but after a few minutes, the feeling returned. This time, she caught a woman up front staring at her. Tess stared back. After a moment, the woman returned to her cellphone conversation.

Anxious, Tess grabbed her backpack and dug out the disposable cellphone Honor had given her. She flipped the phone open and saw a single message.

'Gotchya'

She dropped the phone as if it had burned her. Looking around, she realized no one was watching her, but everyone was distracted by their technological devices. Her cyberpathy was being used against her! She knew who had the means and the motive.

The Hellfire Club.

They wouldn't give her up.

She crushed the cellphone beneath her heel and tossed the remnants out the window.

Too late.

The bus didn't stop again until it reached the station in New York, where she noticed several black SUVs with heavily tinted windows waiting in a line. As the other passengers grabbed their bags and departed, she hid in her seat. She didn't care how strange she looked.

With her back braced against the floor and wall, she tried to quiet her breath. The voices faded away and ominous footfalls approached. The door opened and men entered, sand crunching beneath their slick soles.

"We know you're here, Tess. Comply and receive leniency."

He'd reached Tess's seat without seeing her.

She kicked his knee and it bent unnaturally with a sickening crack. Leaping up, she kicked a pistol out of one man's hand and broke his nose with her fist. Two lame bodies were enough to dam the flow of assailants, so she ran towards the emergency exit at the back.

Behind her, something sliced through the air, burning it. Bodies fell on the dirty floor. Then there was a vacuum suction as the air sealed back, and then a soft click of a visor closing.

"Cyclops!"

"Looked like you could use a hand."

She used the baggage rail over the seats to leap across the pile of bodies and found herself face-to-face with her former principal. He had aged, but it was wonderful to see a friendly face.

"How did you know they'd be here?" she asked.

"I didn't. I just came to give you a ride to the house… Are you in _danger_, Tess? If trouble's after you, I can't let it follow you to my family."

"Nothing I can't handle," she said as they exited the bus. "Do you have a laptop? Smart phone?"

He handed her his mobile device and asked what she was doing.

"The Hellfire Club learned about my connection with Xavier. If Shaw had been left in charge, I could've managed, but he was ruthlessly deposed. Now they're after me…" She paused as something began to download and then turned his phone off. "Naturally, I installed several fail-safes for just this scenario. The most advanced IT security in the world won't recover their system in less than a month. That should teach them who they're messing with."

"And after that month? Tess, did they know your destination?!"

"It is unlikely, though not impossible."

"I have to warn Emma!"

"No. That will only reveal our vulnerabilities. The Club intended to retrieve me. They do not seek a confrontation with the X-Men or wish to endanger the lives of innocent children."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked, "They're _killers_!"

"Yes, but _strategic_ killers. Trust me, The Club isn't ignorant to P.R., and injuring helpless bystanders is _very_ bad P.R. But I agree that I should not accompany you as intended. I would not want you mistaken for a threat."

"You're _damn right_ I'm a _threat_! I've buried _too many_ students, Tess. I won't desert you now."

She looked at the bus, which was empty except for the broken and stunned bodies of her assailants.

"Those men can't be allowed to report back."

Scott checked their surroundings, looking for witnesses or cameras. When he was satisfied, he opened his visor and fired a beam at the gas tank. It exploded, and the vehicle was devoured in a fireball. They quickly turned and left without a glance back.

"Is that it?" he asked as they merged onto the freeway. "Or have we just kicked the hornet's nest?"

"I was loyal to Xavier because he saved my life. I was loyal to Shaw because he owned me. Now they're both dead and I'm still not free. _Death_ will be the only release for _Sage_."

…

To Be Continued…


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the X-Men.

**Author's Notes: **A bit of time shuffling here. This chapter picks up the night before Tess's arrival, immediately after Honor and Nate's conversation.

…

**Raven Legacy: Coming of Age  
Chapter Four**

"What do you mean, 'it doesn't change anything'?" Nate asked.

Honor was lying in the sand, looking up at the stars. She'd refused to discuss her father anymore after her vision. She wouldn't even discuss it telepathically, since Oli and Meg could listen now.

"So he's alive," she said. "But he either _can't_ come home or _won't_. Nothing's changed."

"What if he's spent every minute of the last six years trying to get home? What if he's lost and only _you_ can help?"

"A _lot_ of bodies never came home, Nathan… Your mom, for one. What if they ran off together?"

He kicked sand at her face, but of course she'd seen it coming and had turned her head.

"I'm done taking _shit_ off you, 'On!"

Nate turned and left her there alone, but he didn't return to the house. For better or worse, he was beginning to piece the puzzle together. He _hoped_ he was wrong. Gambit might've disappeared for any number of reasons. Maybe he hadn't died but had been gravely injured and taken by slavers before the X-Men arrived. Maybe he'd injured his head and suffered amnesia. Maybe he'd gotten sucked into another dimension or lost in space… Yes, when it came to X-Men, trouble offered countless forms. But one scenario seemed more likely than all the others.

From the rental house, Raven watched her sister lying on the beach like a starfish.

"Why's she acting like this?" Raven asked her brother.

Oli was across the quiet room, working on homework. Raven was supposed to be working, too, but she got better marks than Oli without trying. If she slacked off, Mystique wouldn't notice.

"Why don't you ask _her_?" Oli answered.

"Because she'll lie to me. You won't."

"I don't know why she's acting funny. Maybe it's Tess…"

Raven's eyes filled with tears. "Really? You're _telepathic_ but not _empathic_? Mutations don't _work_ like that, Olivier!"

"Ray! What's your deal?"

"You knew about dad, and _never_ said anything! You kissed Meg, and _never_ said anything!"

"_Hush_!"

"You're gonna _leave_ me just like everybody else!"

He set his books down and put his arms around her. Sometimes, girls needed a good cry.

"We're _supposed_ to be having fun," he said. "It's _summer_, remember? Come on, I'll never leave you. Are you kidding? I couldn't _survive_ without you! And if they _tried_ to separate us, I'd always find you again. It's you and me, Becks."

"Promise?" She sniffled.

"Absolutely."

Down the hall, they could hear Bekka throwing another tantrum. René had insisted she get some homework done, too, even thought they'd warned him against it. Some mountains couldn't be moved.

"_You're_ not my father!" Bekka railed against René. "You're not even my _real_ brother!"

She knew exactly how to wound him.

"Look here, you little magpie!" he grabbed her arm. "Let me tell you somethin' 'bout _real_ family! My _real_ mother kept me around till somethin' better came along. I was nine years old, younger den you, woke up one mornin' and _poof!_ Vanished off de face of de earth.

"I thought I was a _man_, thought I didn't _need_ anyone's help _or_ their rules. _Just like you_. Lemme tell you, lil' sis, I got burned. _Literally_. Thrown into a fire and left for dead. Dat's when my mutation activated. No one even knew I was still alive. No one _cared_.

"Den I met Honor and Momma… She always had my back. _Always_. Bailed me out of jail, gave me a home, kicked my butt when my grades slipped, and left me her legacy. She _loved_ me like a _real son_. No one _asked_ her to do it, and believe it or not, I _didn't_ make it _easy_ for her. _Dat_ makes me her real son. Makes me your _real brother_, and if you don't like it, dat's too damn bad!

"Now do your damn homework or we'll leave for N'awlins tonight! Bein' here's a _privilege_, not a _right_, and privileges are _earned_."

He left her alone in her room, wondering if he'd pushed her too far. Momma would've back-handed her and sent her to bed hungry; would've tripled her work load and mercilessly berated her every mistake. Secretly, he wondered if Bekka wasn't _seeking_ that reaction.

And then there was _Honor_…

His _other_ troubled sister.

After the family meeting, she'd slithered away with Nate in her shadow. René wasn't jealous… Well, maybe he was a _little_ jealous. Why couldn't Honor talk to her family the way she did with Nate? Why did she need so much space? Couldn't she at least stay in the house, in case the younger kids needed her?

Before the night was over, Bekka had finished most of her homework. It wasn't all correct, but she had clearly made an effort, so her brother was elated. As a reward, they let her sleep in their room instead of the girls' room. The room had two beds; one for René and Marie to share, and one for Honor. Bekka took Honor's empty bed and kept it warm until the wee hours of dawn, when Honor finally returned.

…:::…

"Bekkaaaaaaaa! Be-Be-Bekka!"

"Oh, for god's sake…" Honor grumbled. She'd just gotten to sleep. Covering Bekka's ears, Honor turned to the door and shouted: "She's in here! _Shut up!"_

By now, Scott had adjusted his schedule to the early risers. He didn't know who had taught the LeBeau twins to rise with the Sun – it certainly hadn't been Gambit. Mystique, maybe. It was a habit Scott didn't care for, but his twin girls had taken it up with gusto. So he'd started waking up with the double twins, making them breakfast, and then turning them outside until the rest of the household woke up.

He knew Tessa's bus would arrive in New York around ten, which meant someone needed to leave the house around nine-thirty to meet her. The others were slowly waking up at nine-fifteen, so Scott took up the responsibility of meeting Tess.

"Gosh, I _totally_ forgooooooot. Ah!" Honor said with a wide, obnoxious yawn. "That's why _you're_ in charge, Scotty."

Of course, the simple errand had turned out to be much more. He wasn't the only one who'd gone to the station for Tess. Half a dozen Hellfire Club cronies were also waiting for her. Scott was happy to help – even _glad_ he'd been there – but he was terrified for his family.

For the first time in his life, he regretted not establishing a telepathic link with Emma. He'd had one with Jean, and the constant togetherness and lack of privacy had ultimately destroyed their relationship. In his next marriage, he'd exercised more discretion. Now he was remorseful. His mind tried to call out for her, but it was useless – he wasn't telepathic.

Scott and Tess reached the rental house without further disruption.

"_Thank god!"_ Emma cried as she threw her arms around her neck.

"God had nothing to do with it," said Tess.

Scott asked his wife: "How did you know we-"

Honor appeared next, answering his question. She hugged Tess, then Scott, and then Tess again.

"I'm sorry, guys… By the time I saw anything, it was too late. Thank you," she told Scott.

He shrugged. "I couldn't stand by and do nothing."

"No, I mean, thank you for not letting her run off."

Emma squeezed Scott's hand. "I wanted to link minds with you, but Honor said the Club had the astral plane bugged. This _isn't_ how the Club deals with things."

"But it's how they deal with _traitors_," said Tess.

Nate joined the greeting party. "Tess, always a pleasure… You and 'On need to talk. _Now_."

"Son, I think that can wait."

"No, dad, it really can't. _Now_."

Tense silence followed.

Eventually, the house was ruled out as a good place to talk, but the girls were warned not to stray far. They finally decided to meet in Scott's minivan in the garage. They were guaranteed privacy as long as they returned a clean vehicle, but Honor wasn't concerned with anyone listening in – via telepathy or plain old-fashioned eavesdropping. Nothing remained secret for long in a house this crowded.

Tess followed Honor into the spacious back seat, and realized her ex was unusually serene. She wasn't chewing her nails or stroking her hair. That worried Tess.

"Do you already know?" she asked.

"I know you manipulated my thoughts," Honor replied, "Erased some memories."

"Do you know _why_?"

"Why don't you stop pussy-footing around and just _tell_ me?"

Tess took a deep breath. "Very well. A few weeks before your parents died, you dreamed about it. I could tell you were having a nightmare, so I went inside your dream and saw it, too. I knew how much it would disrupt your life, so I… I thought I would handle it. I stole your memory."

"I know. You told me afterwards. I don't think I could've changed anything, anyway."

"That wasn't the last time. Right before – no, let me back up… When – wait, I-"

"Tess. Take a breath."

"Your father sired several children in the Savage Land. He never told anyone, but you knew. Somehow Mr. Sinister found out. He slaughtered the parents and sold the children to intergalactic slavers. They slipped further into oblivion while the X-Men worked to retaliate against the Shi'ar and retrieve the kidnapped children. You accepted the duty of saving the children from the Savage Land. I hope you can understand the situation I found myself in…"

"You didn't want me to _leave_?" Honor asked. "So you just…?"

"No, you misunderstand. I didn't want you assuming the sins of your father. So I transferred your memories to your father's mind. At the time, he was not only alive, but also closer in physical proximity. Your memory loss was a calculated risk. The more data you were able to provide, the more your father would receive. I wanted him to be _well informed_. I never intended for-"

Honor finally confronted the vision she'd been avoiding.

_Gambit woke up in a healing chamber aboard the Starjammers. Sarah had saved him and kept watch, but she didn't know anything. Since the ship was so large, she didn't even know if they had company or if they were afloat in space._

_He discovered that the ship was on autopilot and managed by the holographic remains of Carol Danvers, the late Ms. Marvel. In short time, he'd become very attached to Carol. She was better company than Sarah, but she had also given Anna her powers of flight and super strength. He regarded her as his guardian angel – a sign from Anna. By the time he had charmed her into altering their course, she had informed him that retreating was moot._

_The Starjammers was light years from Earth. The distance meant that time had slowed for those aboard, and the further they traveled, the "faster" the planet spun. Gambit's children had aged a year since he'd last seen them. Furthermore, the spacecraft was being propelled by the gravity of surrounding planets. Reversing would require working against the gravity and would most likely leave them stranded when the fuel ran out. Their best bet was to push forward and search for a wormhole or portal to go back._

_Since he could not go back, he marched on. Carol helped him locate his missing children from the Savage Land. Sarah helped him raise them. She wasn't the partner he would have chosen, but they reacted well to her rudimentary methods. They established an assembly-line method of childcare, and of course, the more responsible children were assigned extra chores._

_At first, the task seemed overwhelming. But it was nearly completed now. Every time he found a cluster of kids, the reward was worth the effort._

_In the beginning, every little boy was Oli, and every little girl was Becca. He didn't think he'd ever get all their names straight. He didn't think he'd ever look in their eyes without seeing Oli or hear their laugh without hearing Becca. The kids were two dozen little reminders of how much he missed his family. But his heart learned to grow. He knew them all. He'd memorized all the notes he'd taken about whatever scraps of information the youngsters could communicate and thrown them out. Occasionally, one of them would laugh or look in his eyes and he'd wonder about Honor, Oli, and Becca._

Honor hid her face and sobbed in her hands. Beside her, Tess sat unmoving with her hands in her lap. The wailing was heart wrenching, but she could only watch and wait for blame that never came.

…

To Be Continued…


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the X-Men.

**Author's Notes: **I started this story with every intention of keeping things G-rated. Things got a little dicey last chapter but the violence in this chapter really pushes into R-rated territory. Enjoy!

**Raven Legacy: Coming of Age  
Chapter Five**

Since the commotion of Tess's ambush had been resolved, Emma decided to make lunch for the kids. She opened the pantry and started digging out pasta boxes and cans of meat.

Meg, Alexander, and Bekka had finally changed into their swimsuits and announced they were headed to the beach.

"Take Marie with you," Emma instructed, "I don't want any of you kids going anywhere alone."

"How come?" asked Meg.

"_Excuse me?"_

Meg sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically but obeyed. René was already at the beach with both sets of twins, and would need help supervising seven children.

Mystique approached Emma alone and quietly said: "I'm going to do some… _shopping_. I don't like what Tess brought with her. Maybe I'll take out the trash, too."

Emma understood and nodded. With so many little ones, the adults were never fully guaranteed privacy, but they wanted to protect the children from the pressures of reality. Hence, they often spoke in code.

"Be careful. And can you pick up a couple gallons of milk?" asked Emma. That wasn't code; they were just low on milk.

"You want help?" Scott asked Mystique.

"Don't be ridiculous," she morphed into Tess and said, "I work best alone."

Nate walked into the room as Mystique walked out, and he looked at her twice before he realized she wasn't Tess. He had a mountain of laundry to finish, but once he realized he was alone with Emma and his dad, he seized the opportunity.

"You guys have a sec?"

"Sure, babe," Emma set the water to boil.

He took a deep breath. "Just so ya know… 'On's probably gonna get pissed in a minute."

"She only does two things with Tess, and _one_ of those things is _fight_," Scott said.

"Okay… Well, before she blows a gasket, I wanted to tell you guys I'm moving out. I hope you're not upset."

They exchanged looks and Scott said: "Not at all, son. You're a grown man."

"But graduation won't end your hectic schedule," said Emma. "Doctors work 24 hours shifts. Who's gonna keep your place clean? Who's gonna feed you? Have you considered any of this?"

Nate smirked, "If I'm at work all day, I won't be there to dirty the place."

"New York's expensive," said Scott. "Are you _staying_ in New York?"

"Well… no. Uncle Alex offered me a spot on his team." He paused. "They need a medic."

"_Of course he did!"_ Scott railed as Emma exploded with: "_Are you kidding me?!"_

Nate couldn't refrain from laughing. He hadn't wanted this reaction, but he had been expecting it. He'd been waiting for the perfect time to tell them, and by the end of the day, everyone would know that Gambit was still alive and most likely chasing down children no one knew he had. Nate joining the X-Men would be forgotten.

Scott and Emma berated him in tandem. How did he expect to pay off his student loans on an X-Man's salary? Why was he enlisting when he'd spent the last decade decrying the violence of battle? Was he going into combat? Was he even combat ready? Why Alex's team? Why not Hank's, which was based in New York? Had he considered how this would affect his siblings?

Nate tried to answer but was interrupted when Raven and Mallory came running into the house.

"Meg and Oli-!"

"_We need help!_"

Nate and Scott sprinted outside. Emma picked up Mallory, who was crying, and raced after them.

Inside the garage, Honor and Tess were still sitting in the minivan, unaware of the trouble.

Tess appeared calm, but her nerves were knotted. She bit her lip and wondered if she should speak, if she should hug Honor, or if she should run and never look back. Glancing up, she thought the clock on the dash flashed 'KA:DE', but then it flashed '12:00'.

The clock shouldn't flash at all since the vehicle was turned off.

The engine turned and reeved.

"The engine computer!" Tess gasped, "They know I'm here!"

Honor stopped crying and grabbed Tess with her wet hand. They tried to open the doors but the doors wouldn't budge. Honor climbed into the driver's seat and laid on the horn.

"It's okay," Honor said, "Worst case scenario, the engine overheats and cracks. Everything shuts down."

But when no one responded to the van's loud honking, she worried. What if everyone inside had already been neutralized?

The garage filled with carbon monoxide fumes, which slowly leaked into the vehicle. It began as an odd smell, but Tess knew the gas could be fatal. She lay against the backseat and kicked the side window. She kicked again and it cracked. She kicked again and the airbags deployed, punching her foot, which caused her knee to slam into her face. Swearing loudly, she covered her nose and felt her face swelling.

Raven was the only one still inside the house. Everyone else had gone outside, but she'd been too afraid to move. Her brother was… _Possessed_. When she heard the car in the garage honking, her heart froze. It was possessed, too! But then she heard voices and went to investigate.

"Ray!" Honor cried, "Get help!"

Raven went back to the French doors overlooking the beach. She screamed for help, but the adults were trying to pull Oli and Meg off Bekka. The two had teamed up against Bekka and were beating her with fists and kicks. She was bleeding. The adults couldn't stop them.

Raven knew they were too far away. By the time she ran down there, explained, and convinced an adult to return with her, Honor and Tess would be very ill or mortally wounded. So she went back into the garage.

Honor was behind the wheel and Tess was in the back seat. They were both trapped.

"Kill the engine!" Raven yelled over the reeving noise.

"There's no key!" Honor yelled back.

The gas fumes had become intolerable, so Raven tried to open the garage door, but it was automated and wouldn't budge. Wheezing, she tried to open the car door without success.

"Ray, get out of here!" her sister screamed. "Get out!"

Honor seemed to sense impending doom, which terrified Raven even more. But her mother wasn't a coward, and neither was Raven! She would save the day! She _had_ to!

Opening the hood, Raven quickly looked for the battery and found it. If she could kill the battery, the engine would shut off, but disconnecting the battery with the engine running was extremely dangerous. She could get electrocuted, start a fire, or worse. As she debated what to do, the spark plugs failed. The gas was still reeving, so the fuel pumps were open, and now they had flames, too. Her whole family could die if this exploded. She had to act.

Raven grabbed the bolts which held the battery in place and turned. She got a slight jolt, but nothing stronger than static electricity, and then – amazingly – the bolts turned lose. She yanked the battery out and the car quickly died.

"_Raven!"_ Honor screamed, stumbling out.

She shook her little sister and yelled: "What were you thinking?! You could've been _killed_!"

"I'm okay!" Raven told her.

"You are _so_ lucky! _Look!_" she pointed at the van. The windows had shattered and the tires were flat. "Tess and I only survived because the tires stopped the electric current, but you-!"

Raven looked at her hands, which were unmarked, and felt her hair, which was cool and flat. Her bangs had turned snowy white, but the rest remained brown.

"Did my eyes change, too?" she asked with a grin.

"No. Ray, don't ever do that again!"

"Seriously? 'On, I'm invincible!"

Her sister slapped her, "You're stronger than most, but you're no different from your mother. She wasn't invincible, and neither are you! Don't you _ever_ do that again!"

"I saved your _life_! Why do you _hate_ me?"

"Oh, Ray!" Honor embraced her, "You're the _best_ of us. If anything ever happened to you… Where are the others?"

Outside, the fight had finally been torn apart. René was assessing the damage to Bekka, who kept leaping at Meg or Oli. Meg's father pinned her to the ground and Nate and Marie sat on Oli. Emma penetrated their vulnerable young minds and caught a glimpse of someone fleeing.

"They were possessed," she said calmly. "By a telepath. I was too late to catch them."

"Someone wanted to distract us," Scott concluded.

"Tessa-"

"Wait!" said Meg, "Where's Ray?"

Raven appeared in the French doors and led her sister and Tess down to the beach. Even from a distance, the trouble hanging around them was evident. A struggle was clearly before them, but for the moment, they were one united and solid family. Raven's heart felt light, although she knew she had no right to feel so happy. She had her brother and sister. She had Bekka and René, who were pseudo-siblings: a phrase unique to the X-Men. And then she had her friends, the Frost-Summers, who she'd recently learned were really family, too. Yes, they had their troubles, both within the unit and without, but they defended each other.

And now, with her mutant powers, Raven could fight better than the adults! She'd already saved her sister's life, and Honor was kick-ass. She _never_ needed a rescue.

Raven was so happy that she felt like she could've taken flight. Energy surged through her, a burst of power like the start of a race. But instead of running, her body literally soared. The ground beneath her feet faded, and the wind sweetly swept back her hair. The sky beckoned. Raven knew her mother had touched that sky and still lived with her father somewhere beyond the clouds. She was tempted to search them out.

But angels didn't need her protection.

Softly, gently, she descended feet-first onto the beach with her family.

Nate stood back as everyone else converged on Raven. The kids were jealous, the adults were impressed, and Scott and Honor were anxious. Yes, Nate decided, he'd timed his news perfectly. Never a dull moment with this crowd.

…

_Hellfire Club Headquarters Conference Room_

Manuel Enduque, current White King of the Inner Circle, was terrified. He wasn't a man who scared easily. Perhaps the term "man" was too liberal. At twelve years old, Manuel stood 5' 3" and at the head of a secret criminal organization. The Hellfire Club had been audited for tax fraud in the past, but otherwise had an outstanding reputation as the water cooler of the elite. Everyone with disposable income aspired to join, although admittance came through inheritance or invitation only, and the majority was content to formally dress a few times a year and mingle with their social peers. A few desired more.

Deep at the epicenter lurked the Inner Circle. Ruled over by the Lord Imperial, the eight members accepted into the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle retained true power. Wealth and influence always invited politics. The Inner Circle had never known a moment without deception, blackmail, bribery, or murder. That was the price of admittance.

Several months prior, Kade Kilgore desired the Inner Circle for himself. The Club laughed him off. So he poisoned the Inner Circle, threw Lord Shaw and his assistant Tessa into the Wall, and filled the vacant positions with himself and his friends.

What genius in a child's body could resist that offer?

Manuel accepted the role as White King with Kilgore as his counterpart, the Black King. Wilhemina, a blood-thirsty loon, became White Queen. They'd had a Black Queen, but Mina murdered her, and they'd since had difficulty refilling the position. Max Frankenstein, esteemed biologist, was their Black Bishop. Wolfgang von Roehm was Black Rook. Finally, Kevin and Kenneth Krash, owners of the Sentinel program, were White Bishop and White Rook.

Of course, the thousands of financers beneath them couldn't learn about the coup. So Kilgore accepted responsibilities of the Lord Imperial as well as the Black King and concealed Shaw's death. It wasn't difficult. With Shaw and Tessa both dead, no one realized the other was absent. Their bodies had been given to the Wall, so they'd never be found. A voice defibrillator, a forged signature, a rented shape-shifter for the occasional poker game – success.

Then the X-Men got involved.

Things quickly spiraled out of control.

Tessa had been retrieved from the Wall. Kade had been thrown into it. Tessa was with the X-Men, so she'd certainly told them about the coup and Shaw's death. That news was on its way to the financers.

More pressing, Kade found a way to manipulate the Wall. He'd hijacked the Club's system and was obsessively tracking Tess. He relentlessly sent the muscle to "handle" her. In response, she launched cyber warfare and decimated their network. Kade needed to leave her alone; he was agitating an already tense situation. But Manuel couldn't control Kade. Nor could he act as Black King without blowing their cover.

Kade couldn't restrain himself. He used the Wall's telepathy to attack Cyclops's kids and again tried to kill Tess.

Now the hounds of hell bade for blood.

Manuel had no easy out. Betray Kade to the X-Men and plead for mercy? Or feign power and welcome certain humiliation?

"Frost _called_ you?" Wolfgang asked for the fifth time. "_Said_ she was coming _here_?"

"Told me to send a car," Manuel repeated.

"_Should've_ sent a Sentinel," said Kevin.

Manuel rolled his eyes. "That'll only piss her off."

"Blow up the car!" cried Mina. Then she gasped with delight and said: _"Blow up her house!_ All the kiddies will _scream_!"

Mina spun and leaped across the room like a ballerina.

"No!" Manuel punched the long conference table. "She is a former White Queen. We owe her dignity and respect that-"

The current White Queen pulled a cat's decapitated head from her purse and kissed its nose. The thing was half rotted.

"_God!_ It _stinks_!" yelled Kevin.

Mina hurled the furry skull at him, missed, and it burst when it hit the wall. The lingering smell of spoiled meat exploded into the overpowering aroma of death. Mere admittance slashed the eyes and throttled the throat, causing them all to gag and run from the invisible fingers of their deeds.

The landline telephone beeped and the receptionist said: "_Mr. Enduque? An update from the field team."_

"And?" he coughed.

"_They have Tessa in custody."_

"Don't bring her here!"

"_Of course, sir. They'll need your authorization before they can proceed with… anything. She put up quite a fight. Killed two of our men. Something to consider when you pass sentence."_

"Yeah, yeah. What's the ETA on Emma Frost's vehicle?"

"_One moment…"_ She put the call on hold for a few seconds and returned to say: _"Fourteen minutes. Shall they bring her to the front door?"_

"Of course they should bring her to the front door! And make sure she's offered tea – no! Wine!"

The receptionist paused. The silence was heavily pregnant with adult etiquette that he'd ignorantly offended.

"_Yes, sir. Thirteen minutes."_

"What are you going to do?" asked Max.

"I don't know!" Manuel shouted. "And someone get that _damned_ smell outta here!"

The Inner Circle devolved into squabbles. No one wanted to touch the thing except for Mina, who was yelling at it for not bathing. Finally, it was decided that Kenneth Krash was responsible. He was the lowest ranked and kingless. He brought in a small robot, which swept up the remains and locked them away. The smell clung.

Manuel paced while strategizing. He had Tessa… He could release her to Emma as an act of goodwill… Confess that Kade had been acting alone… A bitter pill to shallow, but the best outcome he could hope for.

The receptionist buzzed again: _"Sir, we have a problem."_

He stopped pacing.

"_Tessa's escaped. Several men were knocked out and she's still missing."_

"Do NOT let her leave that building! Lock it down!"

"_Yes, sir."_

There went his bargaining chip.

A moment later, she buzzed again.

"You found her?" he asked.

"_No, sir. Ms. Frost-Summers is here. She's not alone."_

"What happened to thirteen minutes?!"

"_It's been ten. The 'E' in ETA means estimated."_

"Stall her!"

"_Too late. She's on her way, sir."_

Manuel took his seat at the head of the table, and the others lined both sides by rank. He laced his fingers and waited. He hoped his tension resembled strength.

Moments later, she arrived to a great flurry of voices. The door opened with a bang, and the Inner Circle flinched. They'd expected shots. But at the threshold, Emma stopped. She was flanked by Cyclops and a young, unknown woman. She was short-statured but beautiful and wore a long blade on her belt.

No wonder they breezed through security.

Manuel stood and offered them seats.

"_This_ is the Inner Circle?" said Cyclops. "They're _Meg's_ age."

"Where's Shaw?" Emma asked.

"He's been deposed," answered Manuel.

"_You're_ in charge?" Emma sneered. "_You_ found telepaths _stupid_ enough to attack _my_ children?"

Mina squealed with pleasure and clapped her hands. "Tell me about the _pain_! Did they _bleed_?"

The beautiful woman flashed her blade and leapt into the table. Sunlight reflected off the metal, blinding Manuel, who winced at death. A thin line of wet heat spat on his face, and he was sure he'd been sliced in half. But Mina was on the ground, laughing manically as she was finally freed from her insanity. Her death was slower than Manuel would've preferred. Apparently, her assassin felt the same way, and didn't wait for her twisted life to expire before she cut out her still-beating heart.

"_Marie!"_ Cyclops yelled in horror.

"_For my sister!"_ she cried, holding the heart over her head.

Then she brought the bloody organ to her mouth and took several large bites. Her own body rejected Mina's heart in a heap of bile. Somehow, this revulsion amplified Manuel's terror to new heights. He would have run but his blood had frozen. He would have begged mercy, but beasts know nothing of forgiveness.

Marie pointed her blade at him. "This is the _punishment_ for those who harm the children of the Assassins Guild!"

Panic ensured. Max called for security; the Krash brothers couldn't get their Sentinels moving quickly enough; and Wolfgang revealed a hidden pistol and fired wildly. Emma transformed into her diamond form, easily deflecting bullets. Cyclops fired an optical beam in response, and knocked him out of the way of Marie's swinging blade.

"_Stop it!"_ he told her. "They're _kids_!"

"You asked only if I would _die_ for them!" Marie said, approaching a stunned Wolfgang with her bloody blade, "If I would _kill_ for them! You _never_ asked me to _honor_ your _scruples_!"

Cyclops tackled Marie before she could attack Wolfgang.

"Sorry, darling, but she's _right_," said Emma, picking up his pistol. "There's no room for _weakness_ in _war_."

She shot Wolfgang at point-blank range, splattering blood on her white stilettos.

Security finally arrived in full-force, armed with riot gear and semi-automatic weapons. Emma merely cocked her head and called them fools. They turned their weapons on each other.

"_No_!" Cyclops said, "For _godssake_, Em! Just send them home! These _men_ have _families_!"

"Right you are, dear." She pointed with her chin and they silently obeyed.

Manuel watched his cavalry vanish.

"Listen to me!" he shouted, and all eyes turned to him.

He thought he'd have a chance to appeal to their sense of justice, but their eyes weren't on _him_. They saw the Sentinels coming through the window behind him. Like a cloud of locus, the mechanical exterminators blackened the sky.

This was his chance to escape. Manuel wasn't too brave or foolhardy to let the opportunity pass. He rushed into the hidden door and locked it behind him, leaving his subordinates to certain doom. A secret corridor led to safety, and Manuel ran the length without a backwards glance.

"_Shaw_ never ran!" Emma shouted. "He was a _real_ man!"

The Krash brothers tried to follow Manuel, but the jammed door wouldn't budge. Marie smacked their hands with the flat of her blade. She demanded they return the Sentinels, but they despaired at the hopelessness of their cause. Certain they would die, they determined to take their murderers with them to the grave.

Cyclops didn't buy their terror. "We defeat Sentinels in our _sleep_, boys. Call them off before someone gets hurt."

Max gathered his wits and calmly said: "We didn't hurt your kids."

His words didn't have the stunning effect he intended. Emma coolly called him a liar.

"It's true!" he argued. "Kade's behind it!"

"Kade Kilgore," said Cyclops. "_Your_ boss. _Your_ underlings carried out his orders. But _you're_ not responsible?"

"We've got incoming!" Marie shouted, blade ready.

The Sentinels were near enough to strike, and Cyclops prepared to release an optical blast when the robots went limp. The glow behind their unblinking eyes faded. Their heavy iron limbs pulled them down in one massive wave. Buildings, roads, cars, and unfortunate souls were crushed underneath. The massive destruction caused the building to tremble and the glass window cracked.

Instinctively, Scott wrapped his arms around Emma, who had already transformed back into her diamond form.

"Glad to know we're both looking out for _me_," she smiled.

One of the Krash brothers tried to flee, but Marie threw a dagger and it caught him between the shoulder blades. She pushed the other towards the window.

"_Millions_ of dollars in damage!" she said. "_Dozens_ of _lives_ lost! _See_ what you've done? _Look!_"

She threw him at the cracked window, which shattered on impact, and he vanished screaming over the edge.

Emma transformed out of her diamond form and telepathically connected with Mystique.

'_Cutting it close, darling.'_

'_Had to give Cyclops's __**diplomacy**__ as long as possible,'_ Mystique answered. _'Some things never change.'_

'_And some never stay the same.'_

Scott rounded on Max Frankenstein: last remaining member of the Inner Circle.

"Aren't you gonna kill me? Get on with it."

"You haven't threatened my children," Scott said. "Or tried to kill me. You didn't needlessly _slaughter_ a hundred people. Help us bring down Kilgore and live to fight another day."

…

To Be Continued…


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the X-Men.

**Raven Legacy: Coming of Age  
Chapter Seven**

The power was off at the rental house. Complete darkness. The kids weren't too spoiled or frightened to enjoy themselves, and played hide-and-seek with flashlights. No telepathy allowed – that was cheating. Since Nate had established a telepathic shield around the whole house, he would know if they used their powers. But his shield wasn't enough to keep Honor, Tessa, and René in order, and the moment the offensive team departed, their defense fell.

Honor gave René a task, although they didn't share this information with the others. He was the ultimate thief. Capable of transforming into smoke, he was able to slip through a keyhole or under a door, grab the desired item, and escape again through a vent or window.

While he was gone, Tessa said her good-bye.

"My being here has put you all in danger. I won't accept that."

"Tessa, if they find you, I can't promise I'll be able to help," said Honor.

"Don't worry. I'm _counting_ on getting caught. I can handle myself."

Nate thought Honor would struggle with the responsibility of all seven kids, but Meg and Raven were helpful and the youngest girls were very obedient. Oli went back to sulking, and once Alexander got involved in a game, he forgot to worry about his parents. Nate couldn't help. Most of his energy went into sustaining the shield, but when René got back, he let his attention wander.

"Was it there?" Honor asked breathlessly.

"Yeah… You sure about this?"

He handed her a square cardboard box, large enough to hold a basketball or football helmet.

"What've we got to lose?" she asked, and then yelled for the kids.

"Gambit'd be spinnin' in his grave," he muttered.

She never heard him over the stampede of middle-schoolers.

"Have you heard from mommy?"

"Are they okay?" asked worried little voices.

"Yes, I just spoke with Emma, and everyone's fine," Honor lied. "But with everything that's happened today, we haven't taken the time to discuss Raven's new powers. And we should. She's super strong now, so Ray, you need to be _super_ careful when you grab or push people."

"I know."

"And as fun as it may sound, I don't want her taking any flights without a grown-up to watch. No joyrides for anyone else, either. Do ya'll understand?"

They answered affirmatively.

"Good. Now maybe this goes without saying, but little Miss Raven just became the most powerful person in this house. Stronger than all the adults combined. And Ray, I trust you, but with telepaths trying to hijack our minds, we can't be too careful."

She opened the box and pulled out a magenta and rose colored metal helmet.

"This helmet belonged to Magneto. You guys remember him?"

"He tried to kill our parents," Meg answered.

"That's right. He was especially vulnerable to telepathy, so he devised this helmet to protect him… After Lorna died, he didn't have any family left. Rogue eventually ended up with it, but it's been locked up since her death. I know what she'd do with it."

Honor put the big, sloped helmet on Raven's head. Raven tipped it back so she could see and smiled at her sister.

"'On!" Nate snapped, "What the hell? Most powerful telepath next to the Phoenix – _right here_."

"So's your _sister_! And I've seen you _both_ taken out by less powerful telepaths with better control and training!"

"I concede."

Mallory danced around impatiently, and asked: "Can we go back to playing?"

"Just a sec… We need to secure this thing so it doesn't fall off."

Honor knelt down and placed a baseball cap on Raven's head, put the helmet over it, and then tied the helmet with one of Emma's stockings.

"I feel ridiculous."

"I know. I'm sorry. But listen to me – all of you." Honor looked around the room. "I love you guys. I'd do _anything_ for ya'll. And I know, you think I'm being _silly_, especially _you_, Oli. But six years ago, I woke up with three parents and went to sleep an orphan. The last things I ever said to them were so stupid. _Really_ stupid. I thought I'd have more time to talk about important stuff.

"I'm not taking anything for granted anymore. As long as ya'll have me, I'm gonna do the important things, like keep you safe. And tell you I love you. Doesn't matter how silly it looks."

…:::…

Before Tess left, she borrowed a few outfits from Mystique's wardrobe. The shape-shifter had many personalities to choose from, and Tess selected a few opposing outfits. She planned to change many times on her journey. First, a jogging outfit and baseball cap for the walk to the highway. Then, a cardigan and big sunglasses for the cab ride to the bus station. There, she'd change into a sundress. Once she returned to New Jersey, Kade would have caught up with her. After she dealt with him, she'd need a modest suit and headscarf.

Could she even tie a headscarf?

Her mothers had never taught her. Tessa had still been a child when she left home, and young girls weren't required to cover their hair. Upon reflection, she realized she'd never witnessed her mothers adorn a scarf, either. They'd been prisoners in their own home, and outside the home, prisoners of the burka. She felt an emotional reaction she didn't comprehend, but her throat clamped painfully and her heart ached.

…:::…

Max Frankenstein led Cyclops, the former White Queen, and Marie the Assassin. Max didn't know why he was being so… compliant. He wanted to _live_, but wasn't entirely convinced his acquiescence guaranteed survival. Anyway, they'd throw him in prison or that freak school of theirs, and Max didn't like those options, either. Maybe he could convince them that he'd help them find Manuel, too. And he would. Oh, how he'd love to see that coward suffer for abandoning them. If he could kill Manuel, he'd happily submit to any punishment they doled out.

They walked the short distance, and in the pandemonium, no one noticed them.

Max opened a secured door to a room which glowed without light or end.

"We call it 'The Wall'," Max said. "We don't know what it is or where it goes… Only know when someone goes in, they never return."

"Tessa did," said Emma.

"Because the X-Men _rescued_ her. If you wanna mount another search squad, go ahead. Kade got the memories and powers of whoever he sacrificed. That was his _deal_ with it."

"It wasn't the X-Men," Cyclops said. "Or else we'd know what we're up against."

Marie gripped the handle of her weapon. "That's right, it was de Guild. Same people that ate de heart of your Queen. 'Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child!'"

Emma telepathically told Scott: _'But no one will remember that. They'll call us child-killers. I know how __**sensitive**__ your conscious is, lover. Can you live with this?'_

'_I gave in to my baser desires and protected my kids. I'd do it __**again**__. But that __**doesn't**__ make it __**right..**__. This wasn't __**justice**__.'_

Aloud, Emma said: "I can't sense Shaw. I can't read _anything_ from it."

Scott turned to Max. "You said it surrenders the intel of its victims. How?"

"A digital interface. But the whole network's dead, thanks to you."

"How did it get here? How did the Hellfire Club get control of it?"

"Ask Kade. He's the mastermind. I'm just the Black Bishop."

"We can't leave this thing exposed," Cyclops decided. "Let's get Hank. Sealing inter-dimensional portals are beyond my realm."

"Shaw's still in there!" Emma protested.

"I think it's too late to seal it, anyway," said Marie. "The interface isn't working, but Kade was still able to hurt us. He's _evolved_."

Emma's patience had run out. She turned on Max: "You already _knew_ that. What else are you hiding?"

She peeled his mind open like an over-ripe fruit and picked over the contents. Max didn't know much with certainty, but he knew Kade well enough to predict his actions. Prior to the juvenile take-over of the Hellfire Club, Max could reanimate corpses. It was an inherited trait that he wasn't proud of, but Kade saw the benefits in keeping a necromancer around. Now Kade was dead, or as good as dead, but there was no body. If he could find a way to manipulate mechanical parts, he possessed the knowledge to produce a body and reanimate it.

If Kade retained his power over the Wall, then he could still access Tess's telepathy and cyberpathy. He could escape into any network, hijack every system. He could _literally_ bring the world to its knees.

But his first act wouldn't be self-preservation or world domination – it would be vengeance.

"He's after Tess and Honor," Emma told Marie and Scott. "I have to warn Mystique, she has no idea what she's in for."

Emma tried to reach Mystique telepathically without success.

The reason for their disconnect was that Mystique wasn't where she was supposed to be. After she disabled the Sentinel army, she hacked into the Krash family database and re-programmed the murderous machines to target _homo sapiens_ instead of _homo superior_. Magneto would've been so proud of her. Certainly, innocents would die, but after the gun backfired enough and killed enough beautiful, normal people, the government would intervene. Or, at least, the numbers would balance out. All she cared about was her grandchildren, and they would be safe.

Mystique, still disguised as Tess, realized Emma was calling. She rushed to finish the job. She planned to return to the ground level before responding, but one of the Sentinels recognized her presence and turned its glowing eyes at her.

She wasn't impressed.

"Go ahead."

The robot aimed its flat hand at her, charged its beams, and never fired.

"You won't be slaughtering anymore mutants."

She left with a spring in her step, but the robot was livid. It tore off the offending hand and hurled the enormous metal digit at Mystique. She dropped and rolled, barely escaping.

"A.I.? You're not _programmed_ for that, which means-"

The active Sentinel suddenly powered down completely. It collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Across the room of disassembled and emptied robots, a human-sized machine with sleek, elongated limbs came alive. Circular yellow lights had been placed at its shoulders and face, and two laser cannons had replaced its hands. It quickly located Mystique and started walking in her direction.

She withdrew and aimed her firearm, but before she could pull the trigger, the robot leapt into the air and came down on top of her. It had been slower before. She wasn't anticipating super-speed, which was the robot's intent. Not only was the thing intelligent, it was more intelligent than she.

Two bright laser cannons pressed to her face. Pinned and helpless, she was certain that these thoughts would be her last, and she wasn't afraid.

Irene. Rogue. Oli. Raven.

Suddenly, the cannons withdrew.

The robot's yellow eye had detected her disguise, and slithered away as quickly as it had struck.

Mystique flipped forward, landed on her feet, and dashed off to find Emma and Scott.

'_It's after Tess!_' Mystique telepathically screamed. _'I was attacked, but it realized I wasn't the target. Get her away from the kids! NOW!'_

Emma relayed the message to Nate without consulting Scott. He'd gone soft. Undoubtedly, he'd want to protect Tess, even if it meant endangering his own family. Luckily, Tess was wise enough to remove herself from the situation. She would need divine intervention, but Emma wasn't the praying sort. God never seemed to side with the weak, anyway.

'_We've located the source,'_ Emma told Mystique. _'Any ideas how to destroy it?' _

'_You X-Men are one-trick ponies. If it can't be beaten or seduced, you're clueless. What does it __**want**__?'_

'_Want?... Power, I suppose. Life... Recognition…'_

"Scott, darling," Emma said aloud, "We were wrong. The Wall doesn't want to _devour_ us. It's a self-aware universe without another self-aware being to communicate with. That's why it's here – it came looking for _life_. Kilgore and his cronies were its only frame of reference, but we can purge them. Offer it a physical body and let it live independently."

"Can an entire universe fit inside one mind?"

"I'm the strongest living telepath, love. The problem lies in finding a body…"

She looked to Max, who nodded frantically.

"Yes, yes, it can be done!"

"Wait," said Scott, "That's an awful lot of power to put into one person. What if they fall into the wrong crowd again? Or decide life's not all that great and want to destroy the world?"

"You take that chance with everyone," Marie answered. "Frankenstein – get t' work. You can start with the remains of your friends. Let me know if you're short on parts. If I recall, one got away." She tapped the handle of her blade.

Max smiled. "His spine, please. He won't miss it."

…:::…

Tess found an isolated seaside dock before she called Uri.

"Can you get me to the Afghan embassy?" she asked without preamble.

"Yeah… Sure, of course I can. Guess it didn't go so good with 'On, huh?"

"I'm not in New York anymore. I'm on the shore."

"Oh, Tess, I'm so sorry…"

"No hurry, Uri. Take your time. I'll be here."

Tess hung up and waited for Kade. He wouldn't miss an opportunity like this, and would certainly arrive before Uri.

As the minutes clicked by, she found herself irritated with Kade's delay. Where was the little bastard? He needed to attack already so she didn't have to think about Honor.

After their conversation in Scott's minivan, Honor didn't really have time to react. She was upset, of course, but was she upset with Tess? If so, was she angry enough to sever ties? It would probably take her a few days to process everything and make a decision about how to deal with things… And by then, Tess would be a whole new person. Honor would have a whole new set of issues to deal with.

Something heavy and mechanical pounded in the distance. Voices yelped and people ran, but there was no gunfire, no bloodshed. It was coming for Tess, and she was waiting.

As the sleek robot drew nearer, she turned.

"Kade."

"Sage."

"No. Sage is dead."

"That's right. I have your telepathy. Your cyberpathy. Your regeneration. And you… What have _you_ got?"

"My mind."

…:::…

Constructing a body from parts isn't time-consuming when the parts are easily accessible and one has knowledge of the procedure. None of the bodies had begun to decay, which pleased Max. Unfortunately, he'd been forced to use Mina's brain, which he was sure had been faulty for years, so he used some mechanical pieces to strengthen her cerebral cortex.

"There she is!" he said proudly. "I'll call her… Wallinavonkin!"

"That was quick," Emma commended. "Will she work?"

"All her organs are functional. She's just waiting for a host. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Precisely."

She looked into the shifting borders of the Wall with trepidation.

Scott took her hand. "We can find another way."

"Shaw was my mentor. This club is my children's legacy. I won't let _Hank_ come in here and ruin everything because you're afraid."

"You're _not_ afraid?"

She removed her hand from his and walked silently into the Wall. Air-water completely engulfed the White Queen. When she realized she couldn't see Scott, infinite loneliness threatened to overwhelm her. Then, she saw her thoughts written out in words.

'_Scott… Where's Scott?... What is that?...'_

She concentrated on making her thoughts corporeal while disregarding her physical body. At last, she made contact with the "mind" of "the Wall". This dimension was very similar to the astral plane, although it obviously had different laws. Here, the Wall was in charge, and this being had different reference points. Emma had to learn to "speak" its language.

'_This mind is strong,'_ thought the Wall. It tried to devour her telepathic powers.

'No! My mind belongs to me!' Emma argued.

'_Thoughts! Must own those thoughts!'_

'NO! I said my mind belongs to me, and you can't have them. Unless I _give_ them to you… But my thoughts are finite. I come from a place with _billions_ of thoughts. Come with me, and you can spend eternity collecting the _millions_ of thoughts of _billions_ of people.'

'_People?'_

'Like me. Your physical form will be destroyed, but your thoughts will expand and multiply. Come with me.'

'_Fear.'_

'Is that new for you?'

'_Yes. More.'_

'Very good, darling, now do as I instruct. Do you see the light I'm shinning? Follow it. Keep following the light. Your new domicile will be a tight fit at first, but you'll adjust. Keep following the light until you can touch it.'

Outside, Scott could see the perimeter lose its sheen. The barriers became translucent. He could see the silhouettes of Emma, Shaw, and a young boy he assumed was Kade. The corpse behind him began to tremble.

"Is it _alive_?" asked Marie.

"Don't _disrespect_ the process with your movie references!" Max snapped.

…:::…

"What's happening?" the robot said, struggling to move.

Tess was thrilled. "The X-Men found a way to shut you down. They would never abuse the Wall's power."

"Please! This can benefit you, too! I can – I can give you your powers back!"

"I don't need _superhuman powers_. I'm still _smarter_ than you."

Tess punched the robot's yellow, unblinking eye and grabbed its CPU. As she ripped out the small, metallic box, wires sparked and the lights died. The robot fell backwards with an ear-pinching whine.

…

To Be Continued…


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the X-Men.

**Raven Legacy: Coming of Age  
Chapter Seven**

After the violence of the day, Scott was anxious to return to his family. He waited until the X.S.E. arrived to arrest Kade, and Max quietly agreed to attend Jean Grey School with Wallinavonkin, where they would be monitored and guided by the X-Men. Emma extracted a promise from Shaw to leave Tess alone, and then he provided a vehicle to return them safely home.

Scott was sick.

No one asked about the deaths of the Inner Circle, and no one probably would. Most of their bodies had been butchered and re-assembled into Frankenstein's monster. The remains could be blamed on collateral damage caused by the Sentinels. Odds were, the Inner Circle kids had either killed or otherwise silenced their parents, and had therefore never been reported missing. Technically, they didn't exist and never had. But actually, they'd killed scores of people on that day alone. Who knew what other mayhem they'd caused?

Why did Scott feel so guilty about their deaths, when he knew the world was better place without them?

"Because _Mina_ could have been _Meg_," Emma said, reading his thoughts. "And _Manuel_ could've been _Alexander_. But our children aren't _evil_, and it isn't _wrong_ to _rid_ the world of evil. Even when they _look_ like our darling angels."

"_Children_ can't be evil, Em."

"Don't be absurd, love, you _know_ they can."

On the way home, they stopped for pizza, and brought several boxes home for the kids, who were exuberant at their homecoming.

"Thank god!" Nate said, turning the power back on. "Now I can finish laundry."

"Not tonight," Emma said. "Tonight – everyone – we're celebrating Nate joining the X-Men. No more chores!"

The room gasped and then cheered. There was genuine pride at this good news, and no one asked what had happened that day – which was Emma's intention. Scott's dark mood turned to quiet melancholy as his children crowded around him and each other. Emma knew by morning, he'd be his old responsible self. He was too sensitive to ever be considered "cheerful", but he'd find a way to live with his guilt. He'd have to. Emma wouldn't indulge his self-pity.

Mystique noticed Magneto's helmet sitting alone on an end table, and stroked the crown with her fingers.

"Where did this come from?"

Raven was the only one who'd heard her grandmother's question, so she answered: "Honor made me wear it. So the telepaths couldn't get in my mind."

"Why you?"

Raven stood up straighter. "Because my powers kicked in! I'm stronger than everyone else put together!"

"_Arrogance_ is a sign of _weakness_, Raven Anna. Shall we step outside? I want to see for myself."

Most of the house emptied onto the beach to watch Raven's demonstration. With Mystique nearby, Raven could finally test her abilities without fear of failing. Mystique could shift into any mutant and use flight or super strength to help. Luckily, Raven never needed help. She knew her grandmother well enough to know that Mystique wasn't afraid of the kids getting hurt if it helped them learn.

On the sand, Oli sulked.

"Wanna switch with her?" Meg asked him.

"No point. She'd be a better _telepath_, too."

"Olivier, look, I'm sorry your parents are gone, but are you gonna spend the rest of your life blaming everybody for it?"

"I'm not _blaming_ everybody!"

"Yes you are! Every time something _good_ happens, you've gotta _spoil_ it!"

"Guys, keep it down," Scott told them. "This is _Raven's_ moment… Meg, don't boss Oli around. He's not your brother. You don't know what life's done to him. Let him be. And Oli… There's no _shame_ in being happy, son."

Inside the house, René and Marie took advantage of the rare moment alone. Honor, their roommate, found a sock tied on the doorknob and got the reference.

"Come on!" She yelled, punching the door. "Nate _just_ washed sheets!"

Nate passed her in the hallway, carrying a basket full of clean clothes.

"You can bunk with us tonight."

She followed him into his room and helped fold the mountain range of clean clothes.

"We've got a very strict policy about boys and girls staying out of each other's rooms," she said. "I don't wanna set a bad example for the kids… I'll just take the sofa. My god, look at all this underwear! How can you tell them apart?"

"Easy. If it's more _show_ than _cover_-" he held up a white G-string, "Emma's. Lesbo undies-" he grabbed a women's version of male briefs, "that's all you."

"Hey!" she snatched back her panties. "Mystique's a lesbian, too!"

"Nope. She's granny panties." He lifted a pair of modest cotton drawers.

"Okay, those were easy. How do you tell the little girls apart?"

"Ancient Chinese secret."

"You mean _psychometry_."

"Ready to examine the courser sex?"

"Wouldn't wanna be sexist."

He held up a faded pair of boxers with frayed edges. "My dad's. He's too _cheap_ to spend money on himself."

"Oh god... Are the boxer-briefs yours or René's?"

"You can't just let it all hang out there."

"Nathan! _That's_ why you can't keep a girlfriend! Women don't wanna see that crap."

"You're not the buyer I'm selling to. Mine can't be worse than whitey-tighties. I'll give you a buck if you can tell Oli's from Xander's."

She punched his non-metal arm and they laughed, stopping suddenly when they realized Oli was standing in the doorway. Furious tears hung in his eyes. Pubescent's were so easily hurt.

"Oli," his sister started, "We weren't-"

"You've got a phone call," he snapped at her. "It's been buzzing all night. But go back to making googley-eyes with Nate!"

"That's not-"

"I don't care!" he shouted and ran off.

"I was making fun of him," Nate told her. "I'll apologize. Go make sure that's not Tess calling."

Honor had left her phone on the charger. It showed seven missed calls from Uri. She quickly called him back and got an earful.

"I just dropped Tess off at the Afghan embassy. She wouldn't tell me anything. I tried to talk her out of it-"

"Wait. Where?"

"Washington D.C."

"Why?"

"Don't know, 'On, she wouldn't give me any details. But when I picked her up, she looked… You know, Muslim. Arms and legs covered, headscarf, everything. I know she said 'Sage' was dead, but this was… _extreme_. They're interviewing her now. I tried to give her pointers, but-"

"Interviewing her for _what_?"

"She entered the country illegally, hun. She's been living under an alias and doing some pretty dodgy things. What she says in there could make the difference between her staying or getting deported. She must realize that. I just wish I knew what she's doing."

"They can't _make_ her leave, can they?" Honor plugged an ear to block out her family's ruckus and stepped into the quiet garage. "She's been living in this country more than half her life! Everyone she knows is dead. There's a _war_!"

"Getting asylum in the States is next to impossible. She's got to prove there's a _definite_ threat to her life from a _specific_ enemy that's more _powerful_ than the Afghan government."

"She would've been better off to keep lying."

"Unfortunately. But look, she's a smart cookie. She must know all this. She must have a _plan_… What happened between you two?"

Honor took a deep breath. "I'll dig up some contacts at the embassy. We don't have any friends in Washington, but maybe someone can be blackmailed or bribed-"

"Trust her judgement. Can you do that?"

She kept quiet.

"I'll call you when she gets out," he said. "We'll have time before they render a verdict, and if she tells me what happened, I'll know what they'll decide."

"Uri… Thanks for helping her out."

"Try to get some sleep. No sense in _both_ of us losing sleep."

Honor relaxed on the sectional, but it was nearly midnight when the household finally settled. The enormous windows and French doors didn't obscure the moonlight, and the ocean was too near for silence. At some point, a woman cried out, but Honor dismissed it as Marie. A few moments later, Raven wandered into the living room and gently woke up her sister.

"'On? Am I too big to sleep with you?"

"Courzz nuh," she groaned, opening an arm.

Raven snuggled in. "I dreamed they were on a mission… They were in trouble and I could help them."

But Honor never heard her sister's voice. She had a dream of her own.

_Golden sunlight poured through the Afghan embassy. Tessa said good-bye to two men and a woman, and then shook Uri awake. He'd fallen asleep on a bench outside the interview room. Smiling peacefully beneath her silk scarf, Tessa told him they could leave. Alias 'Tessa Jane McNeil' had been legally replaced with Tahira Mohmand. _

Fresh sunlight spilled from Honor's dream into the waking world.

Raven opened her eyes to Bekka's smiling face. Their noses were so close that Bekka could count Raven's freckles. With a mischievous smile, the younger girl crowed: "Bek-Bek-BEKKAAAA!"

Honor groaned and smacked Raven's face.

"Stop it! _That's not me!"_

Bekka's pretty face broke into a rare smile as she doubled over with laughter.

…

To Be Continued…


	8. Chapter 8

**Raven Legacy: Coming of Age  
Chapter Eight**

Uri and Tess breakfasted at IHOP, where he proceeded to devour plates and plates of pancakes and bacon. Tess hadn't realized how hungry she was, and was secretly grateful for his voracious appetite. She looked tame by comparison.

"I'm so confused, Tess… Should I call you Tess?"

She shrugged. "My legal name is Tahira, but many people with Eastern names adopt Western nicknames. You've always known me as Tess."

"Not helpful. Is the headscarf a thing now?"

"You wear a yamaka on occasion and I've never complained."

"Because it's not _new!_ Te – Tess, let's stick with Tess – what are you doing? What is this?"

"Uri… I was a child when I came here. No one taught me my family's heritage or protected my spirit. I grew up like the people around me because I desperately wanted to belong. _This_ is my home, but when I eat and dress like my family, I feel at peace. I know I'm honoring the traditions they valued, and in some small way, they live in these memories."

"Sooo, are you going to start going to mosque?"

"Maybe," she shrugged. "Doesn't change who I am."

"It _massively_ changes who you are! Every organized, patriarchal religion has the _same_ line, and the Tess I know wouldn't gobble up that bullshit."

"And the Uri _I_ know wouldn't judge someone based entirely on their faith!"

He relaxed and smiled. "I guess it's in our blood to feud now."

She laughed and flicked her lemon wedge at him.

…:::…

Raven expected another leisurely day at the beach or around the house. She couldn't complain, but she was starting to get restless. So when Honor put an arm around her and another around Oli and said: "Why don't we get out today?" Raven was elated. She put on her nicest shorts, tennis shoes, and a pink blouse her sister always complimented. She was a little disappointed that her brother wore his same old flip-flops and tattered shorts, but didn't nag him. That was _Meg's_ job.

"There's a new Cajun restaurant I saw advertised," Honor said as they left the rental. "Ya'll up for that?"

Honor's high hopes for the eatery were quickly dashed, but the bread pudding was delicious. Over lunch, she praised the cooking "back home", which for her meant New Orleans. She never missed an opportunity to discuss their father, and the conversation kept turning towards him. He loved to cook. He loved all things Southern; including their mother, who never once mentioned Mississippi or what she'd left there. Raven made a mental note to investigate further. Who was her mother without the X-Men? Before her children? Before Mystique? Raven yearned for that young woman, who must've been her mirror-image.

The three of them had the same amount of time with their father – six years. Honor had slightly more before the twins were born. But she'd been older, and therefore remembered more. Raven soaked up every detail. For her, her parents were still very much alive. She loved them as much as ever. Now, her parents had been dead half her life, but her admiration was as deep as ever. When she grew up, she wanted to be a superhero like her parents, and when she had children, they'd carry on her parents' names.

Sometimes Raven felt like she had to love her parents for both of their children. Oli rarely mentioned them, and when he did, he was spiteful. She didn't understand how he could be so _miserable_ all the time.

If Oli could have found the words, he would've said he felt _ugly_. Not surface-deep, but mentally and physically inept on a profoundly soul-encompassing level that encumbered him with inescapable guilt. Every breath was wretched.

Thankfully, Oli managed to shake his gloomy persona for the day by basking in his sisters' sunny smiles.

After lunch, they walked to a bicycle shop and all got new bikes. Honor made them get helmets, too, although Raven couldn't see the point. She was super-strong now! It would take more than _cement_ to break her skull. But she didn't complain for Oli's sake. _He_ would need a helmet, and she didn't want him feeling singled out.

They passed an ice-cream parlor on the ride back, and Honor suggested they stop for a treat.

"Can I talk to ya'll about something?" she asked.

"We've been talking all day," said Oli.

"Yeah, but this is important."

"Is it about Tess?" asked Raven. "She left in a hurry."

"Kinda. She admitted to erasing some of my memories a long time ago. Actually, right before Papa and Rogue died… And it got me thinking about things I'd been avoiding. I started looking for answers, and I saw what happened…"

"What could be _worse_ than _dying_?" Oli asked impatiently.

"Papa's still alive."

She paused, watching their faces like day and night.

Raven beamed.

Oli glared.

"He was badly hurt in the battle," Honor said. "One of his former students, Marrow, found him and nursed him back to health on a spaceship called Starjammers. They've been trying to get back, but the ship is too big to use fuel. They've got to use gravity from planetary bodies. Kinda like a river current. They can't swim upstream, they can only go down."

"So what's gonna happen?" asked Raven.

"Sweetheart… there are a lot of variables here. I can't say. I can tell you that their soonest chance is still five years away for us. If they miss that, it's another eight years. If they miss again, it's thirteen."

Raven slumped over. "The farther they go, the more time slows down for them."

"Clever girl."

"And just because they find the wormhole doesn't mean it brings them home," Raven continued sadly. "It could take them even _farther_ away."

"Yeah. I'm afraid so."

They all sat in silence while their ice creams melted.

Finally, Oli said: "Wait a minute… I'm a _telepath_, and you're _psychic_. Couldn't you _see_ when they're passing a good wormhole, and I could tell them how to get there?"

"We could _try_," Honor replied hopelessly. "Most telepaths are limited by things like time and space, but you might not be. I know I see things more clearly when it comes to Papa or you guys because we share the same blood. Maybe your powers work the same way."

"We could send him messages!" said Raven.

"Guys, I said _try_. To be honest, Nate and Emma are two of the _best_ and most _powerful_ telepaths in the world, and even _they_ can't reach Papa. This is a _longshot_. I don't want ya'll investing the next five years in this. More likely, he'll take the second or third wormhole and _still_ be light years away."

The twins looked at each other and back to her.

"We're still not giving up," Raven said.

"I wouldn't expect any less," said Honor.

The rest of the day was very quiet. They were absorbed in their own thoughts. When they returned to the house, they each tried to find quiet corners for themselves. Honor played a sonata in the living room. The little girls all gathered to watch, but they were quiet and attentive. Oli kicked off his sandals and ran down the beach. Raven watched him go, stunned that he'd left his room and books.

She turned her face to the orbed ocean. It looked infinite, but she knew there was land at the other side. Nothing was infinite.

She closed her eyes and let her soul beckon to her father. So what if she wasn't telepathic? The two of them had shared a special connection since her birth. That meant something. If she called to him, he would hear. He would answer.

Wind tousled her hair. Salty air cooled her sun-kissed skin. Surf rushed over her toes and pulled away again.

Raven opened her emerald eyes to a twilight sky. Somewhere beyond the stars, her father waited. Space wasn't infinite, either; but she was so very tiny standing beside it. A shooting star flared and died. Her heart swelled with hope. Her father hadn't answered because he couldn't, but her mother could and had clearly sent a sign from heaven – never give up.

Eventually, her brother returned.

"Come on," he said, shuffling to the house.

"Wasn't waiting for you…" she said quietly.

She returned to the house when Emma called her to dinner. Like most nights, the whole group didn't eat together. Honor, Bekka, Raven, and Oli ate in silence on the patio. Only Bekka remarked: "These enchiladas were made by a wasp."

When Honor was finished, she picked up plates and said: "Olls, you and Meg got dishes tonight. You'll probably need to round the house first and get everything. Cups, plates, silverware… Ya'll know René and Marie are on a date tonight, so help each other with your homework."

Raven looked up. "Where are you going?"

The doorbell rang.

Honor said: "That's where. Call or text if you need me, but don't wait up. Love you guys."

Mystique, as Honor, answered the door.

Tessa wasn't fooled. "Is she here?"

"You owe me a new wardrobe."

Honor cut between them. She grabbed Tess's hand and walked away. Over her shoulder, she said: "You've got our kids tonight. Call me if you need me!"

Mystique rolled her eyes and slammed the door. Then she smiled victoriously. She'd lifted Honor's house key without her noticing. She'd have to break in or sleep outside when she finally returned. Picking locks was easy enough, but she wouldn't be able to give her maybe-girlfriend a key, which was Mystique's real goal. That stupid girl never learned who to trust.

Tess waved off the cab driver and said: "Glad you're happy to see me… Honestly, I didn't know what to expect. I'm sorry I-"

"You did what you thought was right. Went to the embassy and erased Tessa McNeil so the Hellfire Club couldn't track you… Smart. But you could've told Uri. He was sweating bullets."

"I compensated him with bacon. He's more than satisfied."

"There's a few places to eat nearby… or we could stroll. The beach stays quiet on the weekdays."

"Let's walk. I need to move. Want to _fight_, actually. Maybe the Hellfire Club will oblige if I present an open target."

They continued in silence for a few moments, and Tess took the opportunity to once again lament the loss of her telepathy. She desperately wanted to know what Honor was thinking. If she'd taken Tess's bait to argue, her desire would've been sated.

At last, Honor spoke.

"So what's your plan?"

"Disengage from one of the world's most powerful organizations. Re-establish my identity. Embark on a new course."

"Can you elaborate?"

Tess tried to scratch her scalp, but her scarf got in the way. Irritated, she removed it and said: "Rigid details are inflexible. I plan to elaborate as necessary."

"Like wearing a headscarf?"

"It traps heat and often draws attention I would rather avoid. Honor, my feelings for you haven't changed, but I can't join your life as a burden."

"Wow, we – uh-"

"Speaking impulsively circumnavigates your pre-cognition. I've been doing it for years, but I don't want to manipulate you anymore. I'm sorry I ever began. Once I did, I felt I couldn't stop without losing you. Keeping you was all I ever wanted… Re-building trust will take time, and you may never forgive me. But I'm committed to repairing our relationship… unless you want to throw me off the pier. It would not be unwarranted."

"Thanks for being honest. I know how hard it is for you… Now that you can't read my thoughts… Which _don't_ include throwing you off a pier, by the way."

"Did-"

"Tess, stop. Listen… I know you don't really care about my feelings. Not like I care about yours. But you're _trying_, I can see that. And I think the reason you don't care is because you feel like an outsider. You're always holding back. Be honest, you won't commit until you've established a new life. You need an income. A job. But you don't have a work visa. Or a plan."

"I'll develop one."

"Since you're trying to empathize with my emotions, even though it's difficult, I think the _least_ I can do is empathize with your priorities. You want an identity and community and career, and those things matter. A lot. I've got a solution for us both. Tessa Jane… Would you marry me?"

"'On, I… I wasn't expecting that."

"You're not the _only_ one who can speak impulsively."

"What about the Guild? Your family?"

"What about them?"

"Won't they expect you to marry a man and have a child?"

Honor made a face. "Marie can have all the babies for this family. Or Bekka. Or Raven. Whoever. But it won't be me. _Biology_ sealed that deal long ago. But if we decide we _really_ want kids, then… we'll make a baby."

Tess smirked. "Two women can't-"

"We can _try_, Tess. Please! Let's try."

"The embassy will say I'm not Muslim."

"The embassy? Once we're married, it doesn't matter. They can't deport you. You're not worried about anyone else questioning your faith?"

Tess shrugged. "You and I were made one being, and got split into two. There are horrible things in this world. Admitting what you mean to me isn't a sin. Murder, rape, war… _Those_ are sins. I don't need a holy man to tell me that."

Honor threaded her fingers through Tess's hair and kissed her deeply.

In response, Tess's skin flushed, but she pushed away timidly. "Wait… 'On… What about-"

"Shut up, woman. Just stop thinking."

When kisses weren't enough (and Tess wouldn't go further on the beach), they crept back to the rental. Honor had forgotten her key, so she picked the lock. Bekka had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for her brother and sister. Honor carried her to bed, and then led Tess to her room upstairs. Before locking the door, she hung a bra on the doorknob to signal for privacy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Raven Legacy: Coming of Age  
Chapter Nine**

Raven opened her eyes shortly after dawn. Surprisingly, Bekka was asleep in her bed. Marie had squeezed into her small bed, too… Odd. As Raven quietly got up, Mallory and Lauren woke up and spoke to her. She hushed them and led them to the kitchen.

Scott was already wide awake, doing one-armed push-ups.

"Morning, girls," he said without stopping. "Toast and fruit on the counter."

They thanked them and made their plates. The noise woke up René, who had been sleeping on the couch. He peaked one eye through a curtain of dreadlocks, groaned, and went back to sleep.

"How come you and Marie aren't in your room?" asked Raven.

"Why do you think?" he snapped. "Thought you were de _smart_ one… Dat her?"

René heard footsteps and watched expectantly. Oli rounded the corner and bid everyone good morning, which made René groan and hide his face again. No one addressed the reason for René sleeping on the couch, so Raven dropped it.

She left the table and sat down beside Cyclops.

"Scott? Can I talk to you about my mom?"

He paused. "Mystique's better."

"I wanna talk to _you_…"

"Okay… Go."

"Why did she run away from home?"

"You mean Caldecott County?"

"What _other_ home did she have?"

"Honey," he sat up and wiped his forehead. "Rogue never told me what happened there… She was younger than you are now, I think. Very young. So anyone who knew her – or _hurt_ her – they're long dead. If anyone ever _loved_ her, they're long gone, too."

"Did she keep a diary? Have friends besides you and Emma?"

"Hate to sound like a broken record, but Mystique can answer that better than I."

"She didn't start a family till she was _twenty-four_," she said accusingly. "What did she _do_ with her life?"

He laughed bitterly. "Twenty-four sounds so _old_ to you. It's not, sweetheart. Your mom did loads of stuff. Some of it good, some not-so-good, most of it really great. I bet Mystique's told you those stories so often you could recite them in your sleep. That's not what you're really after. You wanna know what she thought, what she loved, what scared her… And I can't give you that. No one can."

"My dad could."

"What?"

"My dad's not dead."

"I'm sorry, can you say that again? There's a high-pitched ringing in my ear…"

"She said our dad's still alive!" Oli shouted from the table.

At this, René lifted his head, and Mystique opened her bedroom door. Mr. Summers and his youngest daughters all stared silently at Oli. He didn't know what else to say.

"Uhm… I've been trying to contact him, but-"

"How?" asked Scott.

"Telepathically."

"Stop."

"Why?"

"There are telepaths who _prey_ on kids like you. They can make you believe you're speaking to your father and lure you into a trap."

"I'm not stupid."

"It happens every day, Olivier. I'm serious. Leave this to someone with more experience. Now where did you get this information?"

"Honor," he said, just as his elder sister walked into the room.

She was still in her pajamas, holding Tess's hand. Tess was also in her PJ's, and Oli had the sneaking suspicion that something sinister was afoot.

Raven gasped, "You guys are back together!"

"_Not now_," Scott said. "Honor, what is this about your father?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. He's not dead after all. Don't look so stunned. You're an X-Man, this happens all the time. Anyway, the twins deserved to hear it first. I'll wait till everyone gets up so I won't have to repeat myself."

Raven threw herself into a bodily hug around Tess. "I'm so happy!"

"Where's Becks?" Honor asked her little sister. "I have something to tell y'all."

"In _her bed_ for once."

"Good. Come with me. Olls, Renegade, you too."

Raven skipped down the hall. She couldn't help herself. By the time she got to the girls' room, everyone was awake. She could hear the adults in the kitchen discussing Gambit not being dead. But that news wasn't as exciting as it sounded… The real excitement was standing in their midst.

"Guys," Honor said, beaming like the sun, "Tess and I are getting married!"

Marie, René, and Raven were beyond excited. Oli and Bekka exchanged weary looks.

"Oh, come on, you sulky two!" said Honor. "Get over here!"

Oli didn't see the big deal. Weddings were for girls, really. But he didn't want to hurt his sister's feelings, so he smiled and gave them both hugs. _Hugs_ were girly, too. He wished his dad was around to balance out all this estrogen.

Bekka set her bottom lip against her top lip, but it quivered anyway.

"Oh honey," Honor pulled Bekka into her arms. "You think I won't have time for you now?"

She nodded and cried on her sister's chest.

"That's silly. There's been so much going on lately with the twins and Tess," Honor's voice adapted its mystic sheen once more. "But this will all pass. And when we get settled in New Orleans, you and I will have _all_ the time in the world. That's why Oli and Ray are getting so much attention right now. I'm sorry. I love you. You and I can have today together. Just us. Okay?"

"Yeah…" Bekka rubbed her eyes and smiled. Even with tears smeared across her face, she was still beautiful.

Oli and Raven weren't jealous. For once, they could agree without compromise. Bekka needed Honor more, so they could sacrifice her for a while. Unknowingly, they were beginning to realize Bekka's budding beauty. On day, she would rival Emma at her prime. Prettiness masking a frail spirit was a dangerous combination, but no one knew how to help her.

In the kitchen, Emma, Scott, and Mystique congregated to conspire.

"Did he say his father's still alive?" Mystique asked.

Scott answered: "Yeah. He got it from Honor. Who doesn't seem to care, honestly."

"Where is he?"

"Remy? No idea," said Scott. "But Oli's been trying to reach him telepathically. Don't worry, I put a stop to that."

Emma frowned. "Gambit's especially resistant to telepaths. I don't know whether or not it was a _choice_, but it doesn't bode well for Oli." She looked at Mystique, "We'll begin his training _today_. I can't believe he wandered onto the astral plane all alone. _Anything_ could have happened…"

"If he's alive," Mystique said, "I owe it to Anna to bring him home. Those kids deserve it."

Nate cautiously approached, provoking a bark from his father: "What do you know?"

He kept a safe distance and replied: "I know he's alive somewhere. I know his chances of returning are non-existent. That's all there is. Nothing's changed."

"Oli and Raven are going to waste the rest of their lives looking for him," Mystique said.

"Well…" Nate picked up an orange and started to peel it. "Don't we _all_ waste our lives wanting things we can't have?"

"Not today, my dears!" Honor sang, skipping into the room. She helped herself to Nate's orange. "I'm taking Tess and Becks shopping."

"You're not going _anywhere_," snapped Scott. "What's this about Gambit?"

She swallowed her orange slice and gathered her thoughts. Everyone was watching and she suddenly felt uneasy.

"I had a vision about him the other night. After Rogue died, he fought Khan and there was an explosion… He was badly injured. Sarah took him to the Starjammers for rehabilitation, and by the time he recovered, they were far, far away. The ship travels off gravity, not fuel, so they're pretty much lost."

Everyone waited for more information, and when it didn't come, Mystique said: "And you told Oli he could reach his father via telepathy?"

"The twins decided that themselves. I'm not gonna tell them _not_ to."

"What aren't you telling us?" Emma said icily.

"Come on, guys! If there was a snowball's chance in hell of helping him, don't you think I'd be there? I don't want to _dash_ everyone's hopes. Not today. Can't we just be happy for me and Tess?"

Scott crossed his arms. "You're making a _huge_ mistake. Marriage doesn't erase your problems."

"Neither does _divorce_, Mr. _Thrice_-_Wed_. Look, you can _try_ to contact the Starjammers, but it's out of range. All your Shi'ar contacts are dead and their replacements want _nothing_ to do with the X-Men. We'll never see my father again, and the sooner everyone accepts that, the better our lives will be. So! _I'm_ going shopping. Mystique, can you-?"

"I got'm," she said dismissively.

"And I owe _you_," she pointed to Scott, "a new van."

"No, you don't."

"I do. We wrecked it, we'll fix it."

"That's what _insurance_ is for!"

"Your _premium_ will go up. Tell you what," she bargained, "_I'll_ replace your car. _You_ take the difference it'll save your insurance rates and go buy yourself some new drawers."

The household started another day of nothing unusual – laundry, sweeping, cooking, hair brushing, and baby-sitting. Oli hadn't finished brushing his teeth when Emma called him.

He dutifully spit out his toothpaste and followed her to her bedroom, where he stopped.

"I _can't_ go in _there_!" he said, "You're a _girl_!"

"Oh for-! I changed your diapers. That makes us _family_. Now get in here."

Blushing crimson, he obeyed. "Fine. But we're leaving the door open."

"No, we're not."

She shut the door with her foot and realized his desperate anxiety. He was the spitting image of his mother, so afraid to let people get close. She took a deep breath and relaxed.

"Honey, if I leave the door open, Mallory and Lauren will never give us any peace. I need you to concentrate on what we're doing. If I do anything you don't like, you're free to leave. Okay?"

He sat cross-legged on the floor with her.

"Do I have to close my eyes?"

"No, but I think you'll find it helps."

He closed his eyes and found himself thrust into the astral plane. He literally felt like he was flying and falling together. The world had suddenly opened its thoughts and fears, adding magic to everything. It was like seeing the sky for the first time.

Emma, in astral form, was unimpressed. She took his hand.

"First thing you need to learn is privacy. All these thoughts? Most of them, non-sense. Imagine there's a door between you and them, and shut it."

He heard a dozen doors slamming shut, and then silence.

"Very good. Took that flunky Grey three years to master that."

"So I'm more _powerful_ than the Phoenix?"

"No, you've got a better _teacher_. Loads of people are stronger than you so we're going to re-enforce those doors now."

"When can I talk to my dad?"

She sighed. "These thoughts you blocked, you think that's an accomplishment? You just quieted the house. You'll have to block out _billions_ of thoughts to find Gambit. If he's in another dimension, you may _never_ find him. You'll have to spread out and hunt through every mind in the galaxy. And I hate to tell you, but your father's always been elusive with telepaths. He's not a needle in a haystack, he's a grain of sand on the moon."

"So you gonna _teach_ me? Or you just gonna _talk_ about it?"

She smiled. "Alright, you little punk. Let's see what you can do."

…:::…

Poor Bekka.

Car shopping was hell for kids. Tessa knew clothes shopping wouldn't be much better. So she told Honor to give her the card and a budget and to go have fun with Bekka. At first, she was reluctant, but once she saw Bekka's hopeful face, she conceded.

Tess sat alone in a café, feeling sick. She was an _amoeba_. Useless. Scum.

At last, the door opened and he arrived. Slow, heavy footfalls brought him to her small table.

"Shaw."

"Tess."

He looked pale and sickly, but was on the mend. Men like him never died.

"I'm retiring," she finally said. "Ten years I worked for you. I expect the full package."

"Ha!" he barked. "You worked for _me_, not the _Club_. You get _nothing_."

"You're the top man. You _are_ the Club."

"You were compensated _very_ well for your services. It's not _my_ fault you have _nothing_ to show for it. And if you want to make things difficult, the courts will back me. It's obscene what you were paid to..." He smiled wickedly, "…_do_. Besides, you know _damn well_ I never offered you a retirement deal. You never thought you'd grow _old_ and _inadequate_, did you?"

She watched him evenly. "I've gone to the authorities. They know who I am, but they don't know what I know. Or what I've done. Or how you were involved. And there's no reason for that to change. But I hear you've got a little computer virus…"

"Nothing I can't handle."

"Good. Because these situations tend to result in public revelations. The media would devour you. Shaw Industries would depreciate. The government would have to pretend to investigate, and after you bought the agencies, you'd still have to invest in a P.R. campaign. All from a virus I would've handled in thirty minutes… _approximately_ the amount of time required to wire eight million dollars to an off-shore account."

"Eight _million_?"

"It's a _fraction_ of what Inner Circle members get!"

"And _ten times_ as much as it would cost to _eliminate_ you!"

She didn't flinch. "But then you'd still have a broken network… _and_ some pissed off superheroes. Maybe you neglected to notice the damage they caused your usurpers."

He fumed. "One and a half. Take it or leave it."

"_One-?!"_

"We own _tabloid_ _editors_ like we own _politicians_!" he hissed. "The only thing I _don't_ have is a half-decent technical analyst! So I'm paying you _generously_ for your skills. But if I ever see your face or hear your name again, I will _bury_ you."

It wasn't the end of her problems, but one and half million dollars would carry her through till her next job. She used the money to buy Honor a ring. Not _all_ of it, but more than she cared to admit. The ring was tungsten with a big ruby surrounded by smaller rubies. Next to all those white diamonds and polished bands, the black and red one was singular and slightly ugly, but it was _the one_.

Buying jewelry for her fiancé was easier than buying clothes for herself. Tess had spent the last ten years as a double-agent sex-kitten, and had no idea what sort of clothes she enjoyed. She looked like an idiot, circling store after store and leaving empty-handed. When Honor and Bekka returned to collect her, she still had nothing, and felt deeply ashamed.

Luckily, Honor didn't ask. Maybe she knew Tess had called Shaw. She didn't say anything, so neither did Tess; they simply grabbed all the black slacks and blouses in her size and where out in ten minutes.

On the ride back to the rental, Honor put a protective hand over Tess's. It was sweet but not romantic. A simple gesture that reassured Tess that she was home.

…:::…

At the edge of the Milky Way, Gambit stole a few minutes of sleep. His room was dark and cavernous with only the soft humming of energy to fill his dreams. His bed held him alone. It was typical to have two or three little ones crammed in with him, and they always filled his thoughts. In a dream, he heard Oli calling for him: his voice strong enough to wake him up.

…

_The End._

…

**Author's Notes:** Thanks to everyone who stuck with me! This story was so condensed and there were so many characters going through so many transitions… I hope I did them all justice, but Tess probably gave everyone whiplash. Who is she? Who's she lying to? Good luck trying to unwrap her! Of course, Gambit's story is long from over, but that belongs in another fic. I'm planning to pick back up with this group five years in the future (their time). Those paying attention know that's when Gambit finally comes home. If you enjoyed this ride, I hope you'll return for their future adventures!


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